


Dying To Live

by Nobody13XIII



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst, End of the World, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Loss, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-21
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2018-04-22 18:11:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 221,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4845380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nobody13XIII/pseuds/Nobody13XIII
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy and Luke have one chance at redemption; save seven demigods, fight their tormentors, defeat Kronos, and save Olympus. Not only must they compete with bloodthirsty monsters, powerful adversaries, and deal with dark pasts and closets full of skeletons, but in the end, they must compete against each other. Only one demigod can be redeemed. Only one fallen hero can rise again. And both willing to do anything for their one last chance, both are willing to die again to get one last chance to live.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning Of The End

**The Beginning of the End**

Nico POV

6 years ago…

 

* * *

Rain cascaded down from above, the incessant tip-tapping from outside easily mistakable for a small army marching through the empty halls. Curfew had fallen hours ago, leaving the boys dormitory still and quiet aside of the snores and sniffling. The occasional thunderclap had the other boys rolling over, heads firmly entrenched under pillows to block out the noise, eager for sleep and dreams.

But not me. With every lightning flash, I studied my alarm clock, the second hand clicking away. It was hard to stay still under the covers, silently begging time to speed up. Midnight ticked away. One o'clock ticked by. Two o'clock ticked ever later. Tick-tock, tock-tick.

Six minutes to three. I shivered in anticipation, sticking my head up to make sure the coast was clear. I couldn't help the excitement building up inside me, daring me to sneak out.

Sneaking out after curfew was nothing new, but it's what came after that had me practically bouncing under the sheets, giddy with excitement. It was hard to play it cool on the edge of an adventure like this, especially since life here at Westover Hall Orphanage was ridiculously, stupendously, undeniably, boring.

Nothing fun ever happened. Well, unless chores, studying, and constant pre-military drills counted as 'fun'. You had to face reality and see that our secluded home was dull as ditchwater. At least it had been before yesterday.

Bia and I had been at lunch when Ms. Gottschalk, the orphanage director, introduced our new 'teacher'. The man in question, introducing himself as Ferdinand, had strolled over with an easy smile, happily introducing himself and saying he was looking forward to working with us.

All we could do was stare at his feet. Or, what should have been his feet. Ferdinand had hooves! More than that, he had shaggy goat legs, and two horns twisting out of his thinning hair. Ms. Gottschalk didn't blink twice his appearance, she didn't even seem to notice as he tapped a cloven hoof impatiently through her speech to the students. Ferdinand must have known that we had noticed because he, shooting us a wink when he saw us whispering and pointing, leaning in close to ask us to come to class early.

The moment they pair had walked off, Bianca and I argued, trying to figure out exactly what we had, settling for getting the dirt on the newcomer. We were the only ones who seemed to noticed anything was amiss, even the other teachers were oblivious. At Bianca's insistence, we came late to class, easing into the back of his class, watching wearily the whole time.

Nothing happened. The goat dude taught the lesson, told a few corny jokes, and that was it. He didn't even hand out homework, leaving the class cheering by the end of the period and charging out before he could change his mind. We just stood at the back of the class, watching Ferdinand. And then he came over to us and laid it all on the table.

Our goat dude told us that we were demigods, the children of the gods, and that we were incredibly special and that we were destined for greatness. The horns and hooves were the classic tells of a satyr, our satyr specifically, sent out from Olympus to find demigods, keep them safe, and bring them home. And then he had asked us if we were ready to leave this place.

Bianca had taken a little convincing. For being the brains of the family the majority of the time, my big sis was a tad slow on the uptake. Eventually, Ferdinand had won her over, and now, in just two more minutes, we would be out of here, and out there, for a life of adventure, a practical paradise!

Monsters, magic, swords, gods, danger!

I couldn't stop a grin from spreading across my face. This was so awesome! One minute to go. I was still dressed under the covers, shoes on and bag packed to the brim, acting as a rather uncomfortable pillow to stay incognito.

At three o'clock, I would grab my stuff, tiptoe out of the boy's dormitory, and sneak into the main hall, where my sister and Ferdinand would be waiting. After that, we would slip out the staff exit, down to the parking lot, and drive away, drive until this place was nothing but a bad memory.

Five, four, three, two, one, time! I cautiously pushed my blanket off and grabbed my bag, sliding off the edge of the bed and slowly standing up. Lightning zigzagged out in the darkness, lightning up the room for me to see my way as the storm picked up. My steps were drowned out by the pounding of the rain and the howl of the wind, but I did my best to stay quiet on my way to the door.

The loudest creak I had ever heard erupted from under my foot, and I froze, heart, leaping into my throat. The boy closest to the door, Trevor, snorted in his sleep, a boom of thunder eliciting a yawn before he turned over, fast asleep.

I waited for a long, quiet minute, before easing my foot off the board it was on, gently prying open the door and dodging out into the hallway. I ran as quietly as I dared through the halls, the suits of armor that lined the walls standing at attention as I made my way through the darkness. The orphanage had been an old castle before it was converted, the only true light coming from slotted windows and unlit torches.

Electricity was a much-sought commodity that only made its way into the classrooms, kitchens, the gymnasium, and the staff's room. We orphans had only just got lights in our own dorms less than a month ago, and even that couldn't really help at night.

I took the stairs to the main hall two at a time, skipping the last few entirely and skidding to a halt in sight of the front door. I glanced around, trying to remember where exactly I was supposed to meet up with Bianca and Ferdinand. A hand grabbed my shoulder, and I screamed, only for another hand to cover my mouth.

I struggled for a second before a familiar voice said: "Neeks, it's us you idiot!"

I stopped struggling, rolling my eyes and pulling myself free of my sister.

"I'm not an idiot," I muttered, glaring at her.

Bianca was opening her mouth to retort when Ferdinand interjected, taking a hold of our shoulders and letting out a chuckle.

"Come on kiddos, we got work to do. There'll be plenty of time for bickering on the road, capiche?"

Bianca scowled and I stuck out my tongue before Ferdinand gently started propelling us back.

"You remembered everything? We don't have to make any more trips?" We nodded and Ferdinand went on. "Good. I've got snacks in the van, you two can sleep in the back once we hit the road. It'll will take a while to get to New York, and a little longer to get to Long Island. To stay on the safe side, we'll be making as few stops as possible, so I hope you don't have to use the bathroom."

Bianca was starting to look worried again but nonetheless allowed herself to be pushed to the 'Staff Only' corridor. Ferdinand took out a ring of keys and unlocked the door, ushering us in. The hall was brightly illuminated, lights shining down on portraits of former owners, instructors and picture perfect children who had been adopted.

We trotted down the hall, getting closer and closer to sweet freedom, turning left and right through a maze of stone and firm carpeting. One more turn and there would be the kitchens, and through them the stairway down to the parking lot. The three of us froze in our tracks at the sound of a handle rattling.

A door to our left opened out, the door blocking us from view as someone stepped out. Ferdinand quickly pulled us back and motioned for us to run. Bianca and I took off, Ferdinand right behind us. The unknown person turned the corner just as we turned another one.

"Who's there?" Ms. Gottschalk inquired, quick to pursue our vanishing shadows.

Ferdinand ushered us on, motioning for us to go faster. We broke into a sprint, hearing Gottschalk shouting after us, something about deviant hoodlums, punishments, and peanut butter.

We skidded to a halt back at the exit to the main hall and filed through as Ferdinand grabbed a decorative dagger from one of the suits of armor and slammed the door, wedging the blade firmly in-between the door and the frame and giving it a twist.

"That should give us a few minutes. I was hoping to make a clean break with you kids, but I guess we'll just have to deal with it. Come on, we'll just use the main entrance."

Bianca and I broke into laughter as we heard Gottschalk collide with the door and start ordering us to open it this instant. We were still laughing when we bumped with Ferdinand, who was standing stalk still, wide-eyed, pale, and sniffing the air intently.

"What's wrong?" Bianca's face instantly lost its glow, the usual worry and anxiety returning at the prospect of oncoming doom.

"Not good. Not good at all. I didn't think they'd catch up so quickly… Kids we have to go-"

Ferdinand was cut off as something broke through the storm, loud enough to be a crash of thunder, but far more guttural and angry. The sound shook the castle, and the lights flickered out.

More sounds started erupting from outside, screams and screeches echoing eerily through the storm. The windows rattled, unnatural shadows clambering up the walls, bright orange light, firelight, illuminating the hall from outside. We all started slowly backing away as things started banging on the main doors, the shadows beginning to peer in through the windows with bodies that seemed too long to be real.

And then the noise went quiet, and the lights turned back on. The outside world was pitch black now, invisible to our prying eyes. Ferdinand gave a panicked bleat as golden light started to creep in through the cracks of the front door, burning sand whirling under the door and into the hall.

Ferdinand whirled around, a single command on his lips; "Run!"

We sprinted back to the Staff Only door, wrenching the blade out and throwing it wide. Ms. Gottschalk charged out, eyes filled with rage, but the satyr just pushed her to the side, us behind him. The door swung shut behind us, Gottschalk screaming in terror as there was a crash of timber and crumbling stone. Bianca yelped, eyes wide, fear in her eyes. I grabbed her hand, all the excitement gone.

My adventure wasn't supposed to start this way. I know I said I wanted danger but I was getting scared, and those shadows in the windows… The staff were exiting their rooms, murmuring worriedly, confused and grumbling as we pushed past.

We managed to get to the kitchen this time and were at the back door when the sound from earlier bellowed from behind the wall. This time there was no escaping the fact that it was a roar, a feral call from a very large, very angry monster.

Silver claws the size of butcher knives raked through the wall, pulling the door off its hinges as the single largest lion I had ever seen stuck its head through, glittering gold fur shining in the light, gleaming teeth sparkling as it snapped at us.

"Never mind, wrong door!" Ferdinand shouted.

The lion struggled to squeeze in, but the satyr was faster, producing a small green jar from his coat and hurling it at the beast. The lion pulled away in time to avoid it, ramming itself in far enough that its shoulders cracked the wall. Paws almost as wide as my chest turned the room inside out, crushing ovens, smashing tables, and ripping out pipes with each swipe. Bianca screamed, grabbing a frying pan off the floor and moving between the beast and me, while Ferdinand pulled another out another jar.

The great lion roared, crouching to pounce, this time Ferdinand hit his mark. The jar sailed through the air and straight into its open maw. It swallowed, choking for a moment before giving an earth-shaking belch. There was a crunching side from inside it, and the beast began howling, head shaking violently. Green fire poured from its mouth, smoke billowing out its nose and eyes.

Ferdinand let out a triumphant cheer, only to be cut off as the creature, blinded by smoke and choking of flames, charged forward. The satyr shoved me out of the way, turning back to take the brunt of the blow to protect Bia as the lion crashed through the door frame and wall and kept going, smashing against everything in sight until it vanished.

There was a horrific groaning from overhead and the next thing I knew the roof was coming down. The large black stone that made up the building crumpled in the hallway, blocking the kitchen off from the rest of the building.

"Nico!" Bianca's muffled voice sounded on the verge of tears.

I heard scuffling on the other side, and stumbled over, clawing at the rocks.

"Nico, are you ok?"

I managed to nod mutely, before remembering that they couldn't see me. "Yeah, I'm ok!"

"Alright Nico, just hang on, we'll come and get you, don't move!" Ferdinand said something that I couldn't hear to Bianca and she shouted through the rubble "I'll be right back Neeks I promise! Stay safe!"

And then they were gone. I shivered in the cold night air, the storm raging on through the gaping hole in the wall. Inhuman sounds filled the night, what could only be more monsters hiding out there in the darkness. This was not how it was supposed to be. A cacophony of thunder peeled and I let out an unintentional whimper. This was just a dream, this couldn't be real.

Could it?

Another screech came from the darkness, and I instinctively snatched one of the rolling pins off the kitchen floor. When no demonic hell beasts stomped in to eat me, I took a risk, making my way out. I only poked my head out at first, doing my best to see through the storm.

There was no lightning to brighten the world now. The darkness seemed to consume everything, save for a few pinpricks of light below. That would be the parking lot, down a muddy, boulder-filled slope, a handful of streetlights keeping the night at bay. To the east, you could just see the cliff edge in the distance, and hear the sound of the sea crashing against the rocks.

Maybe the monsters were only attacking the front of the building. I could sneak down there and find out, then run back up here. There was no way Bianca and Ferdinand would make it all the way to one of the side doors and back here before I could go down and back up. Besides, maybe then I could get in Ferdinand's van where it would be safe.

I stepped outside, shivering as the rain pelted me, the rolling pin shaking in my hand. What would I do if another one of those things attacked? I didn't have the satyr's jars full of fire. I had to be brave, I had to help out and make sure Bianca was safe. I took another teetering step towards the stairwell, and the world tilted. The muddy earth gave way, sending me careening down the slope. It was a long trip, sliding through patches of rough gravel and past boulders, finally coming to a jerking stop at the bottom.

I was seeing stars and doing my best not to cry, everything ached and I think I was bleeding. The rolling pin had been lost somewhere in the muck, but at least I was at the bottom of the hill. Always look on the bright side, right?

The icy rain numbed the pain after a few minutes and I managed to sit up, grimacing at the raw pain that needled me. Time to check out front, then give Bia and Ferdinand the news. Something clacked across the asphalt to my left, a deep chuckle whispering in the wind.

I was still wobbling, heart beating a thousand miles a minute as I slowly turned to face the sound. I wish I hadn't. Another monster, more terrifying than the last was standing there, fangs bared in a grin that had far too many teeth. Two toned eyes me held me in place, afraid of the very human face looking back.

The smile was scary enough, but attached to some kind of gorilla-lion hybrid with a ten-foot-long scorpion tail booted it up to heart stopping. A manticore. I tore myself away, backpedaling fast and earning a chuckle. It slunk around leisurely, a pointed tongue licking those sharp teeth as it did.

"Well, well, well what do we have here? A little snack, all alone and hurt? Why it's almost too much to ask for. I do hope you taste better than you look, my little morsel."

Another whimper slipped out of my chest, tripping over my own feet and sliding back into the mud. I tried to scream, tried to shout, but nothing seemed to come out, and I all too soon my back slammed into solid rock. I had nowhere to go. The manticore chuckled, scorpion tail rising over its head, multiple spikes protruding from the insectoid appendage.

"Don't…" I managed to whisper.

Seriously? "Don't" was going to be my last words? The scorpion tail reared back, I was beginning to hyperventilate, oh my gods I was about to die, I wanted my sister, I was going to get eaten, I wanted to be back in bed, I was cold, wet, I was going to die-

"Thorn." A quiet, disapproving voice cut through the storm.

The manticore, Thorn, hummed, turning back to face the newcomer.

There was a boy standing under the nearest streetlight. They were tall and svelte, clad in an oversized blue jacket, bronzed skin peeking out where the cloth ended. A ballpoint pen flipped between his fingers as he observed the scene, sharp sea green eyes glaring into Thorn's eyes without a shred of fear.

His ebony hair flipped around in the storms rage, and it took me a few seconds to see that even in the middle of this downpour, the boy was bone dry.

"What's wrong with a quick snack? I would be happy to share, I know your tastes. You know how it is Perseus, we have to keep up our strength."

The storm was nothing compared to the typhoon in Perseus' glare. I cringed into myself, knowing I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that stare. Even Thorn seemed anxious, restlessly pacing back and forth in front of me, tail flicking back and forth as his wet hair raised on his haunches.

"Leave him alone. He's an innocent."

Thorn snarled, sheathing and unsheathing his spikes; "Innocent? There is no such thing! You know this as well as I do. You think yourself a hero? I know what you are boy, I have seen the carnage you reap. Leave me to my own and do your job. Or are you going to go crawling back to Olympus?"

Olympus? Hero? That must mean that he was on my side! Perseus frowned, the ballpoint pen flipped into his waiting palm, only now it was a glowing bronze sword. Thorn recoiled, raising hissing and arching his back.

"You dare to threaten me?" He growled.

I barely heard him. All I could do was stare at Perseus. He had looked like a hero before, like someone who could make anything better, but now… Now with his sword out and that defiant look on his face he looked like a god. Maybe he was.

"It's not a threat, Thorn; it's a death sentence."

The fight happened too fast to comprehend. Thorn raged and pounced forward, claws out, tail snapping, fangs dripping, a furry blur speeding towards my hero. But Perseus was faster. I never saw him move, he might as well have teleported, one second standing right in front of the pouncing manticore, the next off to the side, sword plunged into its neck. Thorn's own momentum kept him going, and the sword ripped through him with ease.

The maticorse corpse kept going, falling through the air, only to explode in a flash of golden dust before it touched down. All in less than three seconds flat. Between the fall and Thorn's barley avoided snack time, I was still lost between 'oh my god' and 'I'm going to die'.

My attention snapped back to reality as Perseus walked over, holding my breath as he kneeled, green eyes scrutinizing me curiously.

"You ok kid?"

I managed a mute nod, staring wide-eyed up at my hero. The pure awesomeness of what the older boy had done finally caught up to me and my mouth started working again.

"Whoa! You're totally epic!"

The boy smirked, the corner of his mouth tilting up, eyes gleaming. "I'll take that as a yes. What're you doing down here?"

"I got attacked by this giant lion thing, and it cut me off from the main hall, so then I came out here to see if there was anything else, and I kinda tripped." I blushed in embarrassment, looking towards the ground.

"Giant lion? Oh yeah, I thought I saw the Nemean around earlier. So, you can see my world. I'm gonna make a wild guess and say you're a demigod."

I nodded proudly, smiling brightly again and tried to stand back up. The effort was wasted; something in my chest pinched and I was floored again, biting down a moan.

"Um… I might have lied about being ok."

Perseus shook his head, hiding a crooked grin as he reached into the pocket of his hoodie. When it came out there was a small square of something that looked like a brownie.

"Here, it's ambrosia, you'll love it."

I tentatively put it to my lips and took a bite. It was like every delicious thing I had ever eaten and even things I hadn't. Chocolate cake, cinnamon, vanilla, pasta, and behind it all a perfect twinge of pomegranate. I eagerly finished off the cube, relishing in the warm rush that spread through me.

"What's your name?"

I gave a mumbled reply through a mouthful of ambrosia; "Nico!"

Perseus grinned and stood up, offering me a hand. I gladly took it, somehow unsurprised when I realized that the pain in my chest was gone.

"Well, Nico, why don't we get you out of here?"

I started to nod enthusiastically, before shaking my head saying "What about Bianca?"

Perseus gave me a confused look before I clarified.

"She's my sister, she's like me."

Perseus bit his bottom lip, checking the parking lot, then back up to the school high above.

"There isn't a chance she's hiding behind you is there?" He asked hopefully.

I shook my head and his shoulders slumped a bit, only for him to laugh it off, hoisting me up and putting me on his shoulders.

"In that case Nico, you up for a rescue operation? Your mission, Operation Oh-Whale, is to help me find your sister, beat up anybody who tries to hurt her, and get you two out of here! Do you accept?"

Geeze this guy was weird, I loved it! I giggled and cheered, slapping a hand over my own mouth when the sound echoed eerily in the night. Perseus gave me a thumbs up, steps silent as he sprinted to the stairs and back into the orphanage.

Now, this was more like it! When Perseus got to the top, he set me down beside him, taking in the scene and tilting his head to listen to the suddenly quiet night.

"I thought there were more monsters. I guess they left." I whispered.

The thought brought some of the adventure back and left me excitedly hopping from step to step to keep up with him.

"Definitely." He lied, giving me a blindingly crooked grin.

I didn't ask him again. He was a hero after all, heroes in the books knew what kind of things to say and do. The heroes made everything awesome and turned the adventure upside down, this would be a cakewalk! Perseus paused to help me back into the wreckage of the kitchen before I remembered the whole reason for my failed expedition outside in the first place.

"We can't go through here! That lion brought the ceiling down and blocked it off, we can't get in through there."

The older boy turned back around and chuckling at the challenge, still heading for the pile of rubble that separated us from the hallway.

"Rule number one of being a demigod Nico; can't really isn't in our vocabulary. Unless Circe's involved, stupid guinea pigs..."

He turned back around, studying the rubble for a split second, then back to me.

"How wet are you?" I stared back at him in confusion, finally taking a little inventory. I was drenched, mud-spattered, and ice cold. My already pale skin was near white, and my clothes were clinging to me. How wasn't I shivering or turning blue?

"Um… Pretty wet?"

"Perfect!" Perseus grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the wall.

"Now this going to be a little like walking headfirst into a giant blender, so try not to blink. On second thought might be better to not open them at all."

I gulped a little louder than I intended, squeezing his hand as tight as I could, my hero dragging me straight into the rubble. "A giant blender?"

"No pressure, just a little molecular destabilization. It's only failed twice, now hurry up before I forget how to take passengers."

Perseus pushed me headfirst into the mass of debris and I slammed my eyes close, squeezing his hand so tight I popped my knuckles. It really wasn't like a giant blender. As he kept propelling me forward, it was more along the lines of someone squeezing Jell-O through my veins. My limbs folded in ways they were never meant to, pressure pulling and twisting around till I wanted to scream, but I couldn't open my mouth to scream.

And then it was over. I let go of Perseus' hand and fell to my knees retching. I was torn between being sick and screaming about how incredible that had been. Sick was definitely winning the argument though.

Perseus patted my back soothingly while I managed to turn back to the blocked off kitchen. He had taken us through, we were back in Westover. A good seven feet of rubble, and here we were, spick and span.

"How did you…?"

The sick feeling was fading fast, overwhelmed by the feeling of being close to my hero.

Perseus winked, helping me back to my feet. "Trade secret. Come on, your sister has to be around her somewhere."

It was an eerie run through the halls, but even our footsteps stayed quiet despite the rapid pace. Everything was quiet now. No shouts from angry adults, no scared screams, no cries for help. The rain was still coming down in droves, but it was noiseless against the window pane.

"What's going on?"

Perseus shrugged, taking us around a corner at whirlwind speed. "They're hunting."

"What for?"

Perseus stopped so suddenly I tripped, only for him to catch me, slapping a hand over my mouth before I had a chance to protest. He glanced back into an open door, and I managed to get around his arm and survey the scene. Up ahead, a scaled monster with snake tails for legs was approaching a cornered Bianca.

She was backing up desperately, bronze knife pointed shakily straight at the new freak. Ferdinand was nowhere in sight, but a very large flower covered in golden dust had spontaneously erupted from the ground behind the monster.

"S-s-stay back! I already got the other one!" Bianca warned, doing her best to be threatening.

The snake hissed, tails wriggling as Perseus moved in. Bianca's let out a strangled gasp as she watched him slip closer, carefully stepping over the tails and grasping the sides of the freaks head. The monster had a split second to let out a panicked screech before Perseus violently twisted its head to the left. There was a loud cracking noise, and the monster fell limp for a second, before disintegrating into gold dust.

"Epic!" I said, running over.

Perseus gave me a high five before turning to Bianca.

"Miss Di Angelo I presume?" Bianca nodded, knife still leveled high.

"This is Perseus, he's my hero! Bianca, he's amazing! He's a demigod too and he saved me from a manticore and he did something cool to the wall that let us get through and did you hear that thing snap! He's so cool!"

Bianca pulled me close, still wary at Perseus.

"Hey Bia, where's Ferdinand?"

Bianca glanced back down to the flower at Perseus' feet; "Dead."

We all stood there until the house shook again.

"Hate to be rude but we should be getting the hell out of here. Like, now!"

Perseus led us back the way we had come, coming to the rubble. I proudly put my hand in his and smiled encouragingly at Bianca who did the same. Percy gave Bianca a quick warning, dousing her from head to toe with a snap of his fingers and dragging us in.

I kept my eyes open this time around. It had been disorienting before, but it was nothing to this. I watched as Perseus pushed us _into_ the wall, flowing like water through the cracks, trickling through the nooks and crannies. The Jell-O feeling returned, and I felt like my head was in five different places, the information overload sending my adventure level to a whole new high.

I wobbled dangerously when we came out on the other side, grabbing my legs for support, but I smiled in triumph when I didn't fall down. Bianca was reacting the same way I had, falling to her knees and cradling her stomach. She looked sick like she was going to throw up.

Perseus patted her back and whispered something to her, eliciting a giggle, before allowing him to take her hand and pull her up. A twinge of jealousy came through as I watched them. He was my hero, and big sister or not, she should get her own. He was mine. I smiled at the thought. How many other ten-year-old could claim to have a kick-butt, sword wielding, super powered, demigod hero as their new best friends?

"I should be able to get you to the edge of the woods beyond the parking lot, but after that, you're on your own for a while I might be able to catch up with you, but I don't know. Do you both know where Trenton is?"

Bianca nodded and Perseus turned back to the hole in the wall.

"If you head straight through the woods, you'll reach Highway 3. Go right and you'll eventually hit the bridge heading to Trenton. Once your there, head to the recycling plant and ask for Grover; he's an old friend of mine and a satyr, he can help you. Here." Perseus reached into his jacket pocket and produced a few granola bars.

"These will help get you going. You might want to hang on to that knife of yours too. I'm really sorry I can't help more. Now come on."

Perseus led us out of the hole, and down to the stairs. I felt embarrassed when Perseus carefully pushed me away from the edge, a reminder that he had probably witnessed my fail earlier. We got to the bottom of the stairs and were almost too a few cars parked closer to the woods when a booming voice broke the eerie night silence. Words of a language my brain knew but my ears didn't flew through the air before everything was silent once again. Perseus slowed to a halt, before finally coming to a total stop.

"I have to go back now." He said after a few moments of silence.

"But I thought you'd get us to the woods!" Bianca and I protested.

Perseus shook his head. "I have to go back."

Bianca pursed her lips indignantly while I looked up at him with wide sad eyes. "You're leaving me?"

Perseus glanced back at me with a shocked look for a few moments, before taking a knee and saying "Just for now. I don't know when I'll be able to check on you two. But I'll find you eventually. I swear it on Styx. Ok, Nico?"

"Neeks."

Perseus gave me a confused look.

"It's what my best friends call me."

Perseus gave me a sad smile, before tousling my hair. "You two are going to do alright. Now, remember what I told you?"

Bianca nodded and Perseus stood back up. A strange hissing filled the air, and Perseus' head snapped back, pen slapping into the palm of his hand. He spun back around to us, calm exterior cracking enough to show worry. Worry and something else…

"You need to go, and you need to go now. Whatever you do, promise me that you won't look back? No matter what you hear, whatever you think you hear, no matter what, do not look back. Don't stop until you get to the highway, push yourselves as hard as you can."

We tried to ask him what was wrong, what was happening, but he waved away the question.

"Go!"

After one last moment of hesitation, we both took off for the woods. I wanted to look back, wanted to see my hero one last time before he was gone for a long time.

"Wait, stop!" Perseus' voice broke back through the silence.

I skidded to a halt before Bianca grabbed me and kept pulling me along. "What are you doing, he told us to-"

"He told us to not stop no matter what we heard. Come on Neeks!"

We kept running.

"Children!" Ms. Gottschalk's scratchy voice crawled after us "Come back here or disciplinary action will be taken against you!"

We kept running.

"Kids look out!" Ferdinand called.

We kept running.

"Bianca, Nico! Wait up!" Our friends called.

We kept running. And explosion went off behind us, the dark landscape was illuminated by flames. We ran harder.

"Bia! Nico Di Angelo!"

We stopped running.

Bianca's voice caught in her throat as she whispered "Mommy?"

"Don't look back! Come on we have to go!"

"My precious Bia, where are you going? Come back home, everything will be alright. Trust me precious, it will be all right." Our mother's voice kept coming, promises of peace and rest calling out to us.

"Bianca come on!" I desperately tugged at my sister's arm, trying to get her to run again.

Our mother's voice was getting closer. A single tear ran down Bianca's face before she twisted in my grip and looked back. The next few seconds were stuck in my memory for the rest of my life.

I watched as Bianca looked back, eyes full of hope, looking for a mother who was long gone. I watched as she looked back at the speaker, wet hair whipping around in the storm, eyes shining in the firelight from the explosions. And then I watched as that hope shattered, and a single sob escaped her throat. And then she stopped moving.

Her already cold skin grew even cooler and turned smooth underneath my fingers. I took a step back, watching in confusion and horror as my sister changed color, her hair no longer whipping in the wind, the strands frozen in place. Another second later, her whole body was a pale gray, and as smooth as glass. My sister had been turned to stone.

"Bianca!" I screamed.

I threw my arms around her, trying to shake her, tear at the stone and shake it away, but it wasn't any use. I could hear screams in the distance, the silence gone now, monsters roaring, children crying, adults pleading for mercy. I couldn't listen to it, I could only hold onto the statue that had been my sister.

This couldn't be happening. I couldn't be losing my sister. It just couldn't happen. My sister couldn't be gone. This was just a nightmare, an insane, awful nightmare. The hissing grew louder and clung onto my sister, tears streaming down my face.

"Bianca!" I whimpered.

There was another insanely loud explosion, and the hissing stopped.

Momentarily forgetting my promise to Perseus, I looked back at the orphanage. A good fifty feet away a tall woman with an afro made up of writhing snakes was staring back at the ruins of Westover Hall. The old castle had collapsed in on itself. Two of the great walls had fallen in, and strange fire burned through everything it came by. A horde of monsters poured out of the destroyed entrance, some taking flight and circling in the sky, others stampeding back out, pooling at the base.

The huge stone wall ahead straight ahead of us was suddenly filled with golden light, and another explosion rocketed through the night. Whole walls took flight into the dark sky, soaring as far as they could before violently falling back to earth. Two figures walked out of the rubble, one of them glowing with that same golden light. It was hard to even look at them, it burned my eyes.

I couldn't tell who it was, what they looked like, or even if it was a boy or a girl. But I knew without a doubt that they were the cause of all this destruction, that they were the cause for my sister's death. And then I looked to the other figure. My world seemed to freeze for a moment, before shattering.

Even across all this distance, I could almost make out Perseus' face as he followed the glowing figure, side by side. Unlike before, he wasn't covered in golden dust, no remainders of the monsters he had killed.

He was wet now and was painted dark crimson. It covered him from head to toe and pooled onto his now scarlet bronze sword. I fell back, staring at my hero. No. That was not a hero. I knew without a doubt where that blood had come from. A hero wouldn't do that. A hero wouldn't… Angry tears streamed from my eyes.

Perseus! The glowing figure wasn't to blame here, it was him! The hissing started again, and out of the corner of my eyes, I saw the snake woman starting to turn back around. I didn't give her a chance to get me. I was off into the woods in the blink of an eye. I ran and ran, never looking back, while the tears kept coming. Perseus had taken away my sister, he had killed my friends. My _hero_ was going to pay for this. Mark my words, one day I would make him pay.

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**Howdy! Ok, so probably not the best, but I'm pretty excited for this story, so I'm just trying to get it out. I promise I'll try and keep it updated as much as possible. If you notice anything wrong with it, any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, redundancy, or are just bored, a) I was trying to get across a 10 year old point of view (epic fail I know) b) again I kind of rushed it, and c) I also don't have a beta helping me out. Anyways, hope you liked, please read and review, it always gives a good boost of moral for the writer as I'm sure you all know, and try and give this one a chance, I think you'll truly enjoy it! Anyways, hope you enjoy and stick around, have a fantastic summer people! Thanks for the support! P.S. Promise to add better summary next time.**

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	2. Perseus Dies In The End

**Perseus Dies in the End**

Present

Location- **Mt.** **Olympus, Throne Room**

 

"… leaving only one in twenty couriers mauled or poisoned since March. As you can see, Overnight Express is running spick and span." Hermes concluded with a smile.

The Olympians nodded in approval, shuffling in their seats as Hermes returned to his throne. Dionysus seemed bored out of his mind, reclining back and twirling an oversized bottle of chardonnay. Ares kept twitching, fingers tapping impatiently, angry eyes hidden behind dark shades, lips curled in an irritated sneer.

Pre-solstice meetings were crucial in keeping balance and order between the gods, a careful display of influence and endless negotiating, though if it were not for the mandatory attendance, few of the divine being's present would have arrived. Athena had reorganized the proceedings to cater to all, meaning reports of the god's dominions needed to be given, entertainment was scheduled, and gifts were planned for the true solstice.

"Well done Hermes." Zeus affirmed, dismissing the younger god and turning his attention to Athena, "What matters are there still to discuss?"

The goddess of wisdom pored over a seemingly never-ending scroll for a long minute, looking up to recount; "All that remains is for the floor to voice any new business."

Ares straightened in his chair, glaring daggers over his sunglasses, daring anyone to speak up. The war god especially disliked these meetings. Who needed to plan a party when you already have the goddess of beauty, the god of wine? Indeed, Ares was more than ready to charge out into the fray, no doubt headed for some forsaken warzone in the world.

When no one stirred, Zeus nodded. "Then let us adjourn until the solstice. I need not remind you the importance of our convergence; I expect you _all_ to be present, or there shall be consequences."

For the first time in the meeting, Poseidon stirred, raising an eyebrow at his brother, silently challenging the threat. Noticing the attention, he was receiving, Zeus clarified.

"There are matters of importance that can only be taken care of at that time, matters that require us all. Now, until that time…" Zeus trailed off as the massive gold doors to the throne rooms slid silently open.

A lanky girl with out of control, bouncing ruby curls skipped in, self-assured smile glowing as she approached; the Oracle.

Ares let out something between a groan and a growl as gods shifted, following her every step. The Oracle finally came to a stop in the heart of the room, deigning to give small courtesy, paint splattered toga shimmering with what looked like gold and glitter.

"Sorry to bother, but I've got some news." She announced, folding her arms and slouching forward.

"It could not wait? You have come unannounced to an assembly of the god's mortal. What matter of yours could not wait for our approval?" Zeus growled.

Poseidon and Hades sat back in their thrones, rolling their eyes.

"And the call me a drama queen," Hades muttered.

Apollo cleared his throat looking pointedly at Zeus. "Father, this _is_ the Oracle remember? Rachel wouldn't have bothered if it wasn't important."

Zeus gave an aggravated grunt, his expression stormy. After repeatedly rebuffing his companionship and her overall stubborn, mortal nature, the two fallen into anything but the best of terms.

Apollo sighed, flashing a brilliant smile down at the Oracle. "So, Rachel, what's the word?"

The Oracle in question hadn't had a chance to open her mouth when Apollo let out a chuckle. "You know, I was at this coffee shop this morning, had a couple babes with me, and they had this poetry corner thing going on. Some guy was making the most fantastic haiku's you have ever heard. Besides mine of course. Anyways, he was doing one on 'the word'; surprisingly good. I think it went like this- 'News is'"

Artemis cut in before anyone could strangle her brother for yet another haiku.

"What news do you bring Miss Dare?"

Rachel straightened herself, gauging her audience before saying "Over the past week, I have had several visions. I collected as much information about it as possible, and now I stand here before you. Gods of Olympus, Kronos has returned, and unless stopped, he will reclaim his full power."

There were explosions of divine power at that, shouts and echoes shaking the throne room to its core and sending Rachel sprawling. Athena deadpanned as her meeting delved into chaos, gods hollering to be heard, arguing with each other, jumping off their respective thrones and advancing, the sound steadily growing louder and louder.

Demeter and Ares were hollering in each other's faces, Hera and Aphrodite were slapping the other, Apollo had turned to babble onto a now very drunk Dionysus, while Hermes, and Hephaestus, while Artemis, Hades, and Zeus were all trying to rage on about something.

Poseidon, still relaxed in his chair, shook his head in shame. The ocean god rose, a glowing trident materializing in his outstretched hand, letting the weighted shaft slip and crack against the marble tiles at his feet. The ground rumbled and pillars trembling, the far-off cacophony of a hurricane silencing the room.

"This is a council, not a coliseum. Treat it as such" Poseidon turned back to Zeus "Let the girl speak."

Zeus gave a gruff nod as the gods slowly returned to their seats, huffing and tugging at his beard before addressing the Oracle.

"The threat of Kronos has been dealt with before, and he will be dealt with again. We saw to his fall personally, we ensured that he would be unable to reclaim his powers. The Titan armies were crushed and disbanded, even their own palace, Mount Othrys, reduced to nothing more than a scrap heap. The threat of Kronos is nothing new. The solstice would have allowed us to decide to pursue him further, but he is no threat at this time."

Rachel shook her head. "You don't understand. He already has returned to power; or at least as close as he can get. He is readying his forces as we speak. By the solstice, Olympus will be no more."

The murmurs returned once again, but a single glance from Zeus and Poseidon quieted the assembly.

"Indeed? Since you seem to be privy to our enemy then Oracle, what are we to do? How has our Father returned so suddenly, where has he been hiding? What action is required to vanquish him once and for all?" Zeus' gruff tone let his impatience slip past. He did not like being corrected, especially when the threat of destruction was involved.

"Your destruction and your father's rise can be averted. It is time for another Moirai Trial."

The Council went quiet. Hermes sat up, eyes wide, hope shining through.

"A Moirai Trial? We are discussing the fate of Olympus and you suggest a Moirai Trial?"

"In his current state, Kronos can only be defeated by a demigod. So yes, I do suggest a Moirai Trial. The Fallen will save Olympus. As for why Kronos suddenly decided to man up and attack us… that's complicated. But I do know that it involves demigods. Seven of them to be exact. He's using them already, has been for a while."

Another murmur stirred through the gods.

"Attacking us through our children? Not a wise strategy, we have kept tabs on them all, none have vanished or run off as when Kronos first started raised his army before." Athena interjected.

Rachel just shook her head again. "I told you, it's complicated. And I'm not the one with the answers. The only one who does know-"

"Father" Hermes came to his feet, twitching nervously "Father, might I make a request?"

Rachel frowned, trying to go on, but after studying his scrutinizing his son for a long moment, Zeus gave a curt nod.

"Father, I know that you traditionally in the Moirai Trials, Poseidon, Hades, and yourself choose our hero, but I would ask that you give my son his chance. He has spent many years waiting for this opportunity at redemption, and has proved his worth time and time again. I know he will not let us down."

Zeus let out a grunt, thinking carefully. "Your son? Luke Castellan?"

Hermes nodded eagerly.

"You wish for me to send the Lightning Thief to defeat Kronos?"

Zeus turned to his brothers, raising a quizzical brow. Hades shrugged his shoulders, tilting on his throne and toying with the shadows in the room. Poseidon stared down hard at the ground, brooding and silent.

There was little doubt that he wanted to send a different fallen hero, but no one would side with the sea god and his spawn.

Zeus returned his attention to Hermes. "Your son is a renowned warrior, an experienced fighter, and a dangerous enemy. To have stolen from the gods takes either extreme courage or an extreme lack of brains. Against Kronos, perhaps this is the recipe for success. If he succeeds, Luke Castellan shall be Redeemed, and his crimes against Olympus shall be forgiven. Collect him immediately."

Hermes nodded ecstatically and Zeus turned back to Rachel. "Our champion for the Moirai Trials has been chosen. What further knowledge do we require for this quest? What dangers do we face?"

Rachel coughed nervously, eyes flashing around the room trying not to at any god directly.

"Actually, your _champions_ have been chosen."

Silence.

"Excuse me?"

Rachel ran a hand through her frizzy hair, smiling nervously. "This will be a dual Trial. The Moirai allowed you to choose a champion, but the Moirai have one of their own as well."

"A dual Moirai Trial? I thought we all agreed those were off limits because everyone wound up dead by the time they finished the Trial. Half of them didn't even finish!"

Apollo quieted Hermes, before turning back to the Oracle.

"Maybe you should elaborate." Apollo hinted, glancing around the room.

The majority of the gods disliked breaking certain customs; the Moirai Trials were a tradition that was never changed or corrected. No one wanted to mess with a second chance given by the Fates.

"The Fates respect your decision, but they are the Fates. They don't abide by your rules," Rachel shrugged, "You choose any hero you deem worthy of a second chance. The Fates new they would be instrumental in completing the Trial. This is too big for one demigod though. Without the Fate's champion, the Trial will fail and Olympus will fall. You need their skill, their experience, and their power to survive."

The gods frowned and muttered amongst themselves, but in the end, consensus was reached; "Then we have made our choice. Whom have the Fates given us?"

Every face but Poseidon's looked curiously at her, waiting for a reply. Poseidon's gaze was locked on the tiles at his feet, lips moving in what almost looked like a silent prayer. The oracle seemed to shrink under the gaze of the gods, before whispering a name.

"What?"

Rachel whispered the name again.

"Speak up girl!" Hera snapped.

"Perseus Jackson." Rachel said, voice squeaky and sharp with fright.

If the explosion of noise before had been ear shattering, then this explosion was earth shattering. Rachel doubted she would ever hear clearly again.

"Never!"

"The Traitor!"

"Murderer!"

"Maybe If Tartarus froze over!"

The gods roared, the very foundations of Olympus shaking with their fury, thunder booming overhead, wraiths screaming, and the gods themselves started shining, their divine forms fighting to be seen, to show their utter disdain and anger at the world, and especially at that name. Poseidon seemed frozen in place, eyes wide. The Oracle stumbled across the room, reaching into one of the great bronze braziers that circled the room. Reaching past the burning logs, she scooped up a handful of soot and ash, twisting away and back to the center of the room, scattering the burnt material in the air.

The ashes hung suspended for a moment, black and grey turning to glowing green, the particles spinning into a cloud that consumed the whole room. A booming voice, ancient and terrible reverberated through the room, the Oracle's magic crashing down upon the gods.

_OLYMPIANS HEAD ME WELL_

All light in the room died in the shadows of the magic, the writing mass of glowing ass changing. Images stirred inside, two warriors advancing upon an army of gold, seven heroes bound in chains unable to escape.

_These warriors drawn by blood and fate_

_Seek heroes' sins and slaves of hate_

_Undone shall be the Titans Wrath_

_Lest Death so choose a different path_

_A bond of time to end their days_

_Or else Olympus will they raze_

The gods watched as the boys fell, the scene shifting to Olympus in ruins, flames pouring out of their sacred home. The ash cloud grew, Kronos consuming the world as the magic died, firelight flickering back into existence.

The Oracle was panting hard, eyes ghostly green, voice hoarse.

"Perseus was Kronos' most trusted warrior, the titans champion. Without him there is no way to know how to stop Kronos, and even then, only with the help of Luke. Like it or not, you need Percy."

The gods were silent for the longest time as she stood there, panting hard, the last of the Oracles power waning after delivering her message.

Hermes was the first to regain his voice; "I don't care what you show me, how could we Redeem him? Don't you know what he's guilty of, do you even know why he's here?"

Rachel shrugged. "I'm just the messenger. If you would like to go tell the Fates that they got it wrong and that they need to pick a different champion, be my guest."

Ozone tinged the air, Apollo discretely motioning for Rachel to get back as Zeus stewed under a literal storm cloud.

Athena rose from her throne. "Logically, our choice has been made for us. I feel we need no further argument. I understand we have all lost much at the hands of the boy, but this is the purpose of the Moirai Trials. The chance at Redemption, to prove themselves and truly return to us; it should be considered."

"There isn't a way to Redeem both of them in the same Moirai Trial, you know that!" Hermes exclaimed.

"I didn't say that both heroes would be Redeemed. I just said that there would be two champions." Rachel chipped in.

The gods whispered back and forth, glancing at Poseidon. His previous astonishment was now carefully hidden, and solid, unfazed wall staring back at the council.

Ares finally seemed to take an interest. "Wait, if only one gets Redeemed, that means until one of 'em gets offed, they both have to keep going. They'll have to fight, and one of 'ems going to kill the other. Hehe, I like this plan. The two strongest fallen heroes going head to head. I'm game."

Typical, but helpful.

"And with that juicy little history I gave them, having to kill each other, watching them die in each other's arms; oh, it does sound so romantically tragic," Aphrodite said, a dreamy smile spreading across her face.

Rachel shuddered, silently praying to Apollo for a way to keep away the insane love god.

"It is out of the question. Perseus-"

Poseidon sat up. "I move we allow Percy to go on the quest. There is an equal chance that my own son may not succeed, and you may all get your wish for his death. But until that time, you need him. Not allowing him to spite a prophecy would be as foolish as our father swallowing us to avoid his destiny. Who sides with me?"

Ares' hand shot up into the air, closely followed by Aphrodite's. After a few seconds, Athena, Dionysus, and Apollo raised their hands. Poseidon looked around desperately. Rachel knew how these votes worked. The god who brought up the decision was never allowed to vote, leaving an odd number to decide; no chance of a tie, no chance of a huge civil war among the gods. Right now, with only five hands, Poseidon was still one vote short of a victory.

Zeus' storm cloud thinned with a simple "And all opposed?"

Zeus, Hera, Artemis, Hephaestus, and Hermes raised their hands. Demeter shook her head when Zeus and Poseidon looked to her, choosing to abstain. The two could hear her muttering about politics and lack of poor nutrition sending people crazy. Five to five, Demeter passing and Poseidon unable to help. Which left one final gods.

All heads swiveled to the far side of the room, where Hades sat in the shadows, brooding.

"So, it all comes back to me. Of course." Hades gave a dry grin.

"What is your vote brother?" Poseidon asked.

Zeus asked, voice dangerously low, "Yay or nay?"

Hades laid his head back, closing his eyes as the shadows seething around him as he brewed. The room was silent for what felt like an eternity, the god of death humming every now and then. All present watched with baited breath as he finally opened his eyes and spoke.

"Let the child murder rot for the rest of eternity and watch my home and myself burn, or let him run wild with the possibility that he may die and I can kill him later myself. Yes, I like that plan. Let the Poseidon's brat go. Athena was right, our choice was made for us. Revenge upon him is the Fates apology."

Zeus growled, and Poseidon gave a silent sigh of relief, before turning back to the Oracle.

"It is decided."

Rachel nodded, hiding a smile, before saying "I'll get them the knowledge they'll need for the quest as soon as they're released. I have nothing further to say until the solstice."

Zeus clenched his fist before saying "Any other business?"

His angry tone left no little to the imagination. Zeus was not happy about letting Poseidon's son, out, especially if he had a chance to be Redeemed. "Then we are adjourned."

In a blinding flash of golden light and a peal of thunder, Zeus vanished, closely followed by the other Olympians.

Hermes dashed out the gold doors, his task now to unleash the two chosen champions. Rachel glanced at him, knowing that she would have to catch up soon to help out the fallen heroes.

Footsteps approached, and she looked back, finding Poseidon before her. "Thank you."

Rachel shrugged. "It's all the Fates. Percy's a good friend, I know he'll make the right choices."

Poseidon nodded, forlorn look on his face. "If only I had gotten to him before Kronos… He would never have had to experience this miserable fate. This will give him the second chance he deserves."

Rachel glanced away, avoiding eye contact, before heading towards the door. "Oracle?"

Rachel flinched as he placed his hand on her shoulder. She could feel those sea green eyes boring holes through her head, poor baby seal eyes that begged for consolation. Why did the gods notice everything?

"You know something else? Something about Percy's chances in the trials. What's wrong? Please, he's my only son."

Rachel heaved one last sigh, before turning back.

"Percy's past is what is going to change everything. Luke is important to the quest, but everything rests on Percy and how he reacts to everything. Every little thing that happens from this point on can completely screw it up. Right now, your biggest issue is how Percy going to respond to being forced to be with Luke."

Poseidon nodded, but he was still waiting.

"Just leave it at that, please my lord. This is not something you want to know."

Poseidon just shook his head. "I have to know. I have to help him."

Rachel shook her head, but Poseidon tightened his grip, staring pleadingly into her eyes. Rachel pushed him away, stomping away. Poseidon stayed where he was, watching as she reached the door, eyes locked on her as the golden doors eagerly opened for her. She had just set a foot in the hallway when she froze. She wavered there for a few, horribly long seconds.

"I've looked at the future from every possible angle I could. I've run through every scenario. You want to know what happens? You really want to know why I'm scared? It doesn't matter what the outcome is. It all amounts to one simple thing. To defeat Kronos, Perseus has to die."

 

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  **Okay, so your probably lots of questions right now (Or I totally failed and your completely lost and/or bored out of your mind), but I promise they'll get answered soon (BTW if anybody doesn't know Moirai=Fate) Hope you have a great morning/day/night, and I promise to get to the good stuff soon, just stick around a little bit longer. Thank you loyal readers!**


	3. Free-Falling Fallen

 

 

 

**Free-Falling Fallen**

Luke POV

Location-  **Olympus, Hall of the Fallen, Cell #7**

**20**  days,  **22**  hours,  **59**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

**Free-Falling Fallen**

Luke POV

Location- **Olympus, Hall of the Fallen, Cell #7**

**20** days, **22** hours, **59** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

The ball hit the far wall, bounced off the floor, and back into my hand. I threw it. The ball hit the far wall, bounced off the floor, and back into my hand. Cliché bored prisoner behavior? Oh yeah.

But when you're stuck in a seven by seven foot stone box with nothing but a bed, a window that looked out into hazy twilight, lame cliché's really helped alleviate the cabin fever. How long had I been trapped in the dungeons of Olympus? A week? A month? A year? Who knows. Yeah, I tried the whole scratch system for every day.

Problem is, when the view from your window never changes, time starts to become irrelevant. You couldn't ask any of the guards for anything either; the scumbag stone Guardians in the hall only ever came in when they were doing inspections or taking out prisoners, creating a door in the wall that was otherwise nonexistent. Even the crummy food just magically appeared whenever your back was turned.

The ball hit the far wall, bounced off the floor, and back into my hand.

This was not where I was supposed to be. According to the get rich and famous scheme I had come up with before my dad screwed up my life, by this point I was supposed to be retired, laying on a beach on some nice, hot island in the equator, lounging in heaps of cash and drachmas, getting waited on hand and foot, preferably with some hot dark haired beauty on my arm. Preferably with a few hot dark haired beauties actually.

But as you probably noticed, that isn't happening. The first part of my plan had been perfect; I had nabbed Zeus' Master Bolt, I pinned all the evidence on somebody else, the gods had bought it hook-line-sinker, and I was on my way to sell one of the most powerful god weapons to the highest bidder. Then dear old daddy came into the picture. And now I was here.

The ball hit the far wall, bounced off the floor, and back into my hand.

How long had I been doing this? My arm was sore, and by now I was pretty sure it was actually screwing my brain up more than the boredom if that was even possible. The ball hit the far wall, bounced off the floor, and flew by my hand, smacking the stone next to my head. It bounced back to the ground, before slowly making its way to the other side of the room, and finally coming to a rest in the corner. I stared at the motionless piece of rubber for a few seconds, before standing up, stretching stiff muscles.

That was the only acceptable thing about these boxes they had us trapped in. As long as we were inside them, we seemed trapped in some sort of stasis, unable to decay in any physical way. It was meant as a punishment, and as a way for us to be sent right back out into the field for a Trial (like that was ever going to happen) so the gods weren't sending out flabby, geriatric heroes to do their dirty work.

So basically, I was in the exact shape I had been before I got thrown in here; a twenty-year-old blonde athletic stud with a scar. Only bad part about the stasis? You couldn't improve either. Of course, they wouldn't give you a sword; who knows what kind of crazy crap us prisoners might cause with a few blades. But I mean come on, trapped for all eternity, and no matter what I do, as long as I'm in here, I'm never gonna get that perfect six pack.

Wow did I really think that? This place really does kill brain cells. I leaned down, scooping up the ball, and turned around in time to see a series of white lines flare up on the opposite wall, forming a large rectangle. The empty space inside the lines light up, and suddenly I was looking at a dark metal door.

Keys jingled in the locked, and the door swung open, revealing one of the Guardians; sentient marble statues with bad attitudes, equipped with Taser Swords and Branding Irons, assigned as guards to the various areas within Olympus.

"Looks like it's your lucky day scum." The Guardian said, grinning, rough stone daggers grinding together in its mouth.

I stared at it, trying to jump start my dead brain. The door was… open?

"Castellan!" The Guardian barked, finally snapping me out of my daze.

I took a hesitant step forward, my body running on autopilot as I walked over to the door. The Guardian stepped out of the door, nodding for me to exit. I looked down, looking at the threshold, the change from gray stone to polished black granite, before taking that step back into the real world. The effect was immediate; it was like the whole world suddenly brightened, the colors returning to the world. The smell of the smoke coming from the torches on the walls filled my nostrils, and the sight of the dark, black and bronze walls assaulted my eyes. It was like an assault on my senses.

The feeling of living rushed through my limbs and I ended up tripping, really feeling the feel the gritty cloth that made up my orange jumpsuit, the frozen tiles beneath my feet with reawakened nerves.

Everything was so new; I was out of stasis. I was alive again. The Guardian poked me in the back with the hilt of his sword, sending me whirling around. Battle instincts inside of me demanded me to lash out at the elbow extending the sword, grab the sword and give a violent twist, kicking out the inside of his leg as I disarmed him, before bringing it back around and decapitating my previous jailer.

I managed to resist, focusing on the sparkles in the polished floor. Do not attack a guard now. I would not- no, I could not get thrown back into that cell again. I would take everyone here out or go down fighting, I would kill myself before I got thrown back in that cell again. Being trapped in there, that was almost as bad as being dead in the first place.

"Show some respect maggot, there is a god present."

There was? I glanced up, and instantly the battle instinct was back.

Flanked by two more, angry looking Guardians, was the one god who had screwed up my whole life.

"Hello, son," Hermes said, a weak smile forming on his lips.

I scowled back at him, staying quiet. I heard the Guardian behind me move to strike me, but my dad held up a hand.

"That won't be necessary. Why don't you go fetch the other one, he's fine."?

The three Guardians glared at me as they saluted the dirtbag, before stomping off down the hall, somehow vanishing out of sight. A long, awkward silence followed as I refused to look at the god who had abandoned me all those years ago, the one who had finally shown up only to send me here.

"I got you sent to the top of the list. You've been chosen as our Champion. It's time for your Moirai Trials."

Yeah, I knew that. I wouldn't be out here otherwise. The Trials were the god's way of taking care of their screwed-up children, without actually admitting that they had down anything wrong, and then making their kids go on important quests to 'redeem themselves' and gain power. What a waste of time.

"I know that things aren't easy between us. And I know that I let you down. But this is beyond that, this is our second chance; your second chance. When you beat this, you can prove to the others that you are good, that you are the best hero out there. More than that though. When this is all over, we can be a family again. I promise you, this time I'll stay. I'll make our lives good again, we'll visit your mother and-"

"Your entourage is gone, you can stop pretending you actually care. How long have I been in there?"

Hermes stared at me for a few seconds, face an unreadable mask. "Ten years."

Ten years. Ten. I think I stumbled forward, barely managing to steady myself. Ten years? Sure, I had been in there a long time, but… ten years? No, this scumbag had to be lying. I was thirty years old mentally, I had wasted ten years of my life stuck in stasis waiting for my life to finally restart?

A single, unwelcome thought burst into my head, and for a second I saw sea green eyes, ebony hair, and a blinding smile. His voice had still been cracking when I left. How old would he be now? I managed to banish the thought, trying to rid myself of the memory of that young kid.

I didn't have to try very hard; after a few seconds, my vision started to turn red, the realization of how my dad had once again screwed my life up truly sinking in. I think I rushed him, going in for a right jab to the face. I'm not sure. I know I hit something and managed to land a few more hits before I was unconscious. When my head finally cleared, I was on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, feeling like I had stepped in front of a speeding bus covered in barbwire and battery acid. I managed to push myself up off the ground and looked around.

The hall was gone, they had dragged me to a grand atrium, where I could make out a strange circular mosaic sprawled across the floor. More Guardians were around this area, and most were glaring at me. Hermes was talking to two Guardians who were examining strange markings on the wall.

"He's awake my lord." One of them said, noticing my movement.

"Thanks for the report captain obvious."

The Guardian glared and Hermes gave me an exasperated look.

"Carroll, Caesar, Capone… Ah, Castellan!" The other Guardian tapped one of the markings on the wall, and an outline matching the one that had created my door appeared, and a small drawer popped out from the seamless wall.

Hermes motioned for me to come over, and after a weighing whether or not to flip him off, I stood up and stalked over, trying not to tip and sway as my vision sent the room spinning.

"These are the possession we held for you during your containment." The Guardian started extracting items. "One pair of night vision and infrared sunglasses." Always came in handy.

"Three rolls of duct tape." No problem couldn't be solved with duct tape.

"One personalized Swiss army knife." I'd had it since I was six, and since then I had tinkered with it, adding whatever seemed necessary, whether it be a laser pointer, can opener, or remote detonator.

"One Omega Level Celestial Bronze dagger and Xiphos."

"Hello, beautiful." I eagerly accepted my sword, giving in an experimental swing. Perfectly balanced as always, just a tad heavy on the tip, the edges still chipped and worn from too many fights to count. It felt like I had just been reunited with some long-lost limb, some essential piece that had just been waiting for me to find it again.

"And finally, twenty-three condoms."

Hermes eyebrows raised.

"You got a problem?" I glared at him.

Hermes shook his head, and for a second I swore he was smiling before he looked back up face all stood there for a long awkward minute while I stood there, swinging my sword.

"So… yeah. Shouldn't I be getting ready for the Trial?"

Hermes suddenly looked a little uncomfortable. "Not yet. This Trial is… complicated. Right now, we're waiting for the other Champion."

"What? I thought you said I was the Champion."

Leave it to my dad to lie to me almost the instant he sprung me out of my cell.

"I said that the gods chose you as _our_ Champion. But for this Trial, the Fates also chose their own Champion. You two will have to work together to complete the quest. And to truly finish it you'll have to…" Hermes trailed off, shaking his head "Never mind. I would have protested more, tried to give you more power in this Trial, but I believe that the Fates Champion will do you good."

"What are you going on about now?" I snapped angrily.

I could almost swear I saw Hermes flinch.

"You may deny it, but we have a lot in common Luke. And one of our worst flaws is the wake of destruction we leave behind. We don't see it, we don't see long-term consequences. I'm Immortal Luke, I've been around the block more than a few times, and I still don't always see the scars I leave behind with my carelessness. You have the right to be angry with me because I wasn't there for you. I left you and your mother, let you fend for yourselves against the world who had it in for the both of you. The things you had to go through without a family, the pain you felt. That's my fault son, it's my burden to bear. You don't know how humbling it is to look back and really see what you've done. But you will. This Champion is going to show you just how far you fell, Luke. And when you see that, you'll finally be able to come back to the light."

I glared at my dad. What should I be ticked off about first? The fact that he was comparing himself to me? The fact that he was saying that I basically screwed up everything I touched? How about that he was making himself out to be some kind of martyr? No, I'd go with the Champion finally making me go 'back to the light'.

"What the hell are you talking about? And who in Hades is the other fucking Champion?"

One of the Guardians glanced around almost nervously, as though expecting retribution for my comment. This Champion scared the Guardians? Got to admit, that's pretty badass right there. Hermes flicked my sword over his hand, and I started, realizing for the first time that he had literally nicked it and my dagger right from under my nose. Footsteps began to come up from one of the other hallways, and I turned expectantly, waiting.

Two voices started to accompany the steps, one even laughing after a few seconds. I knew that laugh. It dug at me like an itch, flicking through decrepit memories, trying to place the infectious tune.

Who was it? I knew that laugh, I knew them, but where? The heavy march of one of four Guardians got even closer, and I watched as they finally came into the light, the boy I could only assume to be the Fates Champion walking out in front of them, still laughing, completely carefree.

They looked around seventeen, maybe eighteen, hair was a mess shaggy ebony apart from a stripe of gray, eyes a tantalizing shade of sea green, and skin sun-kissed and bronzed. I could definitely see the godly blood in them; extremely well built, but at the same time lanky, almost giving off a kind of skater vibe. Gods, did they still have skaters back in the real world nowadays? The boy was giving off a fifty-watt smile, beaming at everything he saw.

And then his eyes found me. In that split second when pale blue met sea green, the eyes and the laugh clicked together, and I knew who the Champion was. The boy's smile vanished instantly, face contorted with blind rage.

"You!" Percy snarled.

"You!" I barked.

I don't even remember willing myself to move, but the next half second, I was charging forward, my few possessions now littering the floor.

Percy was faster, tackling me to the ground mid-stride. We slammed to the floor, and he instantly twisted on top of me, straddling my chest and repeatedly pummeling my face and throat.

My nose exploded in pain as he hit it, definitely breaking it, before I managed to push back, lifting my legs up and entwining them around his neck, twisting around and changing positions. I managed to get a punch in while Percy struggled in my grasp, going for the inside of my kneecaps before sucker punching me in the kidneys.

I let go, gasping in pain, and Percy hopped up, pushing me down and grabbing a fistful of my hair, smashing my head down into the granite. Stone arms suddenly grabbed us, wrenching us apart. I was breathing hard through my mouth, my nose was bleeding, and my whole face was numb. I had definitley landed one hit, a dark stain was starting to blossom around his eye. We struggled against our Guardian captors, Percy even managing to throw two of them off, snapping one of the downed warrior's stone arms off at the elbow with a tremendous stomp.

"ENOUGH!" Hermes bellowed.

Everyone present froze, eyes flashing towards the irritated god.

"Save it for the Trial. You two are brothers in arms, you are both fighting for your redemption. Don't act like the monsters they see you as. You two must get along if you are to survive and save us all." One look over at Percy showed that we were thinking the same exact thing; never.

"Already getting into trouble Seaweed Brain?"

Percy's head whipped to the side, happy mask snapped back into place. "Me get into trouble? I'd never!"

A redhead girl in a paint splattered toga walked up, waving away the Guardians, hands on her hips and eyebrow firmly raised. "Really now?"

Percy chuckled, before shrugging his shoulders. "Can't blame a guy for trying Rachel."

Rachel rolled her eyes, throwing her arms around Percy, hugging him tightly. Percy hugged back, lifting her off her feet and swinging her around, the two laughing the whole time.

"Looking messy as always. How've you been? Still working for that gallery? How long did they keep me on ice?" Rachel glanced down at her stained toga and giggled.

"Yeah, my latest projects working up to be a real zinger. I've been amazing, as usual, and as for the gallery, well, I kind of bought it. And basically, every other gallery on the west coast." They burst into laughter, trailing off after a minute, realizing that the Guardians were all staring at them.

"Um, yeah. So anyway, you've been on the ice for roughly four years, give or take a few months."

Percy just shook his head. "I'm twenty-two now? Dang, I'm old."

Rachel glared at him. "We're the same age, Percy. Are you calling me old?"

Percy took a step back, laughing and shaking his heads. "Believe me, I wouldn't dare, Miss Dare. Besides, you and I are kinda immortal, if anything we could still be in high school"

Rachel rolled her eyes and glanced over to me. "And you must be Luke. I've heard all about you."

"Who hasn't?" I asked, cocky grin sliding into place. Percy's smile vanished again, glaring holes in my head.

"The real question though is who you are beautiful, and how you got mixed up with that lug head." Rachel raised an eyebrow, and Percy clenched his fists, knuckles going white.

"The name's Rachel."

"Pleasure to meet you gorgeous."

"Pleasure to screw you up," Percy muttered. Rachel elbowed him in the ribs, giving him a disapproving look, before turning back to me.

"The pleasure is mine Mr. Castellan. You dropped your things back there if you promise not to cause any more problems you can go pick them up while Percy gets his gear."

I shrugged noncommittally, and Rachel frowned at me, placing her hands on her hips.

"Promise?"

I glanced over at Percy. "Sure. Keep the dog on his leash and I'll play nice."

Percy snapped forward, twisting out of the Guardians hold, rushing for me, but Rachel stepped in between us, crossing her arms. I didn't need to see her face to know she was ticked off, I could actually see her green eyes glowing with anger. Damn, she was hot. Percy skidded to a halt in front of her, glaring. We both knew that if he wanted to, he could have gotten around Rachel. I may have been trapped in a cell for a long time, but my past with Percy had shown just how impressive his skills were.

This Rachel chick must have some definite pull on him to get him off the hunt. After a few seconds of a seemingly silent argument, Rachel sighed, before taking Percy by the arm and guiding him over to the markings.

"Percy, you're an idiot, you know that?" She turned her attention to another Guardian "Can you just get him his stuff already so we can get him out of here before he kills somebody?"

The Guardian started messing with the wall symbols again, everyone glancing warily at Percy. He was definitely not the kid I remembered. Sheesh, how old had he been when I had last seen him? What had he been, twelve? What had he done to get thrown in here? He had obviously done something big.

I had stolen god weapons, and all I got was a couple kidney punches and a lot of smack talk from the guards. But they were scared of him. Whatever he had done, it had been big.

Figures though. The Percy I knew didn't know the definition of low key. The Percy I had known wasn't so bipolar either. Then again, that could just be his special attitude towards me. Oh, good times. Wait what? I frowned, glaring at his out of control mass of black hair. Good times my foot. If it hadn't been for the little bastard, I never would have been caught. Hermes wouldn't have had the chance to ever put me in here.

"Jackson, Perseus." The symbols flared and a drawer pushed itself out of the wall.

"It's Percy actually." The boy said, walking up to the Guardian.

The statue regarded him with a wary look, before reaching in for the drawer's contents. "These are the possession we held for you during your containment. One spoil of war, the Minotaur horn"

One of Percy's two most prized possessions, a snapped off minotaur horn. Hard to believe he still carried that thing around.

"Two sand dollars." Seriously? What the hell were those gonna do for him?

"One enchanted wristwatch." Percy eagerly accepted it, sliding it onto his wrist and smiling down at it. Obviously, something good.

"One two-ounce bottle of blue food dye."

"Really Percy? Really." Rachel face palmed.

"What's wrong with that? It's just so I can make my food blue whenever I want."

"One iPod and headphones." What the heck was an iPod? "And finally, one Alpha Level Celestial Bronze Xiph-... What the?"

The Guardian rummaged around in the drawer for a few minutes, before looking up to Hermes, a confused look on his face.

"Anaklusmos is missing my lord."

Percy cleared his throat before smiling sheepishly. "Yeah, about Riptide…"

He reached bent down, reaching down to his pant leg, and for the first time, I noticed a hole in his uniform, with what looked like some kind of stitched together fabric, making for a makeshift pocket. Percy pulled a ballpoint pen out of it.

"Sorry, I got _really_ bored in there," Percy explained. Now I had to admit that at least was a tad smart.

Making himself a pocket so he would at least have a weapon was better than going crazy playing with a bouncy ball for ten years. That didn't mean it was good news for me though. He probably had been practicing all this time in his cell while I had been letting myself go, trapped in stasis. The difference was already showing in our brief scuffle. Hermes cleared his throat before finally speaking up again.

"As you already likely figured out, this is not your traditional Moirai Trial. The Gods and the Fates have both chosen a champion for this task." Percy and I nodded.

"Olympus is in danger. Kronos is about to strike."

Percy tensed, what little was left of his good mood draining out.

"The two of you are going to be sent down to Odyssey Cover. From what the Oracle has told me, Kronos has been using the town as a headquarters. He will launch his assault on the solstice, and if he does, Olympus will fall. You have roughly three weeks to stop him. If you succeed, you will be Redeemed, you will become heroes, and Olympus will be spared. If not, then the entire world will fall into a brand new dark age."

Hermes let the words sink in for a long minute before Rachel let out an awkward laugh.

"That's enough good news Hermes, I have some info you're going to need."

Percy and I turned out attention back to the redhead.

"I don't know much about what's going on down there. But that's why the Fates picked you, Percy. You'll know what to do with the information I do have."

"Ok," Percy said hesitantly.

"Odyssey Cove is home to a lot of demigods, but not all of them actually know what's going on. Kronos has all kinds of Mist traps and monsters around town to keep them there and under control as a sort of insurance policy. Kronos has picked seven demigods and has somehow connected them to monsters. I have no idea how it works."

"I do." Percy murmured.

Percy was paler than usual, his usual fidgety nature gone.

"I figured you would. Anyways, however, Kronos is doing it, he's going to be finished with them soon. Once he's done, his minions will be able to consume the gods, and Kronos will destroy Olympus and take control" Percy opened his mouth to say something but Rachel beat him to the punch "You can explain things to Luke when you get down there. Hermes, did you get the stuff?"

"Of course." Hermes pulled a backpack seemingly out of nowhere and threw it to the girl. Rachel caught it and proceeded to rummage around inside.

"Give me a sec Herm," Rachel muttered, frowning when she didn't find what she was looking for. "Take your time. I've already found a place for you two to set up shop, there are Mist wards and other defenses already in place for your stay. I took the liberty of stocking it with food and a few extra weapons and knick knacks, so you should be set. We're going to be putting you down as close to the other demigods as we can, you need to get to work right away. Find a way to help them. I don't know how, Percy, this part is all up to you."

Percy nodded, before Rachel let out a cry of triumph, producing a file from the backpack.

"Here we are! This has information on all the demigods you'll need to save. Saving them is the key to defeating Kronos. Rachel tossed the folder to me, and Percy walked over, peering over my shoulder at the contents. Seven faces stared back at us from various pictures, names, and bios flowing out underneath them. Rachel read off the names as I glanced through the pictures.

"There's Hazel Levesque, she's a daughter of Pluto."

"Pluto?" I asked, glancing up.

Surprisingly, it was Percy who spoke up instead of Rachel. "Roman counterpart of Hades, I'll explain later. You missed a lot during your stasis."

I glanced at the picture of a girl with dark skin, cinnamon hair, and eyes that put gold to shame. "Next up is Piper McLean, daughter of Aphrodite."

"Whoa, McLean? Like Tristan McLean, movie star?"

"The same."

Percy let out a whistle and glanced back down at the smoking hot Cherokee girl. Her eyes were just as strange as Hazel's; they looked like they were split with half a dozen colors in the one picture, and seemed to change from every angle, even in the photo.

"Gonna be a pleasure to save her," I muttered.

Percy elbowed me in the ribs and the Oracle continued.

"Then there's Frank Zhang, son of Mars."

A chubby kid of Chinese descent. Mars. That was Ares, right? Was this kid the son of the war god? Go figure.

"Annabeth Chase is after that, she's a daughter of Athena."

A beautiful girl with a proud face and stormy gray eyes stared up at me, a challenge in her eyes. Definitely a kid of the goddess of wisdom.

"Might wanna watch out for Leo Valdez, he's a son of Hephaestus. He's… well, he… you'll see what I mean."

An impish Hispanic boy with crazy black curls and wild brown eyes stared up at me with a mischievous smile. He looked like one of Santa's helpers on crack. Probably going to be one of the 'fun' saves of this Trial.

"Next is the son of Hades, Nico Di Angelo."

Percy snatched the folder out of my hands almost faster than I could see, wide eyes staring at the picture of a gloomy looking boy who was glaring at whoever had taken the picture. He had manic black eyes, olive toned skin, and long, messy black hair. Out of all the demigods so far, he looked the most dangerous. Maybe it was because he was a son of Hades. All I knew was that I could already see the crazy in whoever it was.

Percy stared at the picture of the boy, silently mouthing the name, before glancing up at Rachel. Something was off in his eyes. Whoever this guy was, they had gotten to him even when Kronos hadn't. What was the dirt between them?

"Is it… I mean, do you know if it's the same?"

Rachel nodded her head seriously. "You'll need to be careful Percy. That one is going to be a struggle."

Percy looked back to the picture, before gently tracing the image with his fingers.

"Six years" He whispered, almost too quiet to hear "How did this happen in six years?"

After a long pause, Rachel cleared her throat. "Moving on, finally there's Jason Grace, son of Jupiter. Of the seven, Jason and Nico are the only ones who know that our world exists, so if you explain things to him, you should have a fast ally. Remember, this needs to be handled delicately. I have more instructions in the bag, but for now, you'll just have to be extremely careful and feel the situation. You don't have much time, and the odds are already stacked against you. I've only seen six scenarios where we win, and you both die in five of them."

"Well aren't you a ray of sunshine," I muttered.

Rachel frowned, before tossing me the backpack. Hermes walked over, gently propelling Percy and I towards the circle on the floor.

"It's one twenty in the morning down there, but the kids are still out partying down in the city's main club. I'll drop you down as close as I can get you, but with Kronos' interference, I don't know how close I'll get you."

I frowned in confusion, before jumping back as Hermes snapped his fingers. The circle suddenly opened up, light and darkness flaring up from it, a mass of swirling images flying by at a sickening pace, before suddenly coming to a stop.

I stared down through the hole, looking down through a hole in the clouds, where I could see a small collection of lights next to an ocean. Small town America I guess. So that was our destination huh?

"Luke, Percy."

We turned around, and Hermes looked us over, trying to find words.

"You two are the only ones who can save us. You must get over your past, over the pain you've put each other in the past. If you don't get over your differences, many will suffer. I know the two of you can do this. Be strong. Be smart. Be wise, be courageous. Be heroes." Hermes took back the backpack, putting the file in before shoving in the possessions the Guardians had just returned to us.

"Wish me luck?" Percy said, smiling sadly at Rachel. Rachel tackled him in another bear hug. I watched as she squeezed him hard, as if trying to memorize every detail of him, and for a second, I could have sworn I saw tears leak out of her eyes.

"Believe me, you're going to need it Seaweed Brain. Be safe." She let go with him, holding his hands and staring into his eyes, freely crying now.

Percy frowned at his friend's sudden sorrow, and opened his mouth, probably to comfort her. And then Rachel pushed him. Percy stumbled to the edge of the circle, teetering dangerously, trying to regain his balance, before gravity claimed its victim, and Percy vanished, a blast of light erupting from the open portal as he fell through, a rapidly descending bolt of light.

"What the hell!?" I asked, scrambling away from the hole. They had just killed Percy!

Hermes caught me before I could get away, quickly sliding the backpack over my flailing arms and pushing me towards the hole. "Good luck son. I know you can do this. Be careful."

I made a final effort to get away, before Hermes stuck his foot out, tripping me. I fell forward, arms spiraling, trying to grab onto the sides, before getting blinded by the portals flash of light as I went through. And then I was freefalling, plummeting towards the dark ground, far below. This was gonna hurt.

 

* * *

**... Yeah it was horrible I know. Anyways, hope you liked it, I really am trying, just dealing with major writers block, and a butload of work. Any questions, concerns, comments, anything, please review and keep on reading. I truly hope you enjoyed. Anyways, hope you have a wonderful morning/day/night, ciao!**

 


	4. Too Much Too Little

 

 

 

**Too Much Too Little**

Luke POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, America, 13,349 Feet and Falling**

**20** days,  **21**  hours, **50** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Have you ever gone skydiving before? It's one of those pure heart racing, adrenaline pumping, scream filled moments of life. Sure, for mortals it's all kicks and giggles, all amazing and stuff. But when they sky happens to belong to an all-powerful deity who happens to hate your guts and you don't have a parachute, you realize just how much life really sucks for us demigods.

Of course, let's not forget that the moment my psycho dad pushed me through the portal and sent me falling to my death. I had been enveloped in a coffin of blinding light and shot down towards Odyssey Cove at around seven hundred miles per hour and counting.

I was pretty sure that if it weren't for the fact that all the air was being sucked out of my lungs that I would be screaming bloody murder. I could see another rocket of light a couple miles further down, Percy appearing as a black outline in the blinding glow that surrounded him. This was how we were going to die huh?

I gotta admit, I did not see that one coming. The ground was getting closer, the whole town was splayed out beneath us. It was fairly small, the majority of buildings being pumped towards the center of town and slowly thinning out as you got farther away.

There were jagged jigsaw cliffs and giant boulders limiting the far reaches of the city limits, some even going into the ocean itself, where I could see waves crashing down on the rocky shore. Ok, so maybe Percy would survive this; sea water was like steroids _on_ steroids to that kid. I was catching up to Percy, we were almost neck and neck, racing to see who would become the world's first demigod pancake.

We shot down towards the cliffs, they were getting closer and closer. I could see all the twists and turns leading far down into the water, with the ground coming up to us at an alarming rate, when the light around Percy and I suddenly twisted, and we were jerked up, racing back towards town.

We flew through the air, twisting and spinning madly, shooting through town. We twisted through town, racing through blurred streets, and then suddenly the light surrounding us was gone and we were falling. I flipped through the air, before getting slammed up against a painfully real wall, and falling to the ground. I moaned on impact, rolling over, feeling stiff, sore, and sick. My reawakened senses were in overload, the pain of impact being that much worse as I forced myself to my feet. Instinct took over and I grabbed my hand, feeling my pulse.

Still alive, check. I did a quick inventory. All limbs present and accounted for. I reached down past my waist, feeling for my favorite appendage. Good, that was definitely still there. Wouldn't want to disappoint any admirers. No broken bones, not cuts, a slight scrape on my shoulder, and definitely a lot of bruises.

Not my best landing, but considering the fact that I was pretty sure I had been about to die, not my worst either. I turned around, taking in my surroundings. I had crash landed at the back of blocked off alley; a large dumpster was to the left, stinking of cheap booze, vomit, sugar, and greasy food. Loud music was playing from the brick building to the left, the bass pumping heavily through the night.

Probably the town club Hermes had been referring to. A stifled groan came from the dumpster, and I raised an eye as Percy pulled himself out. I couldn't help but smile at his appearance. His already messy hair was a tangled mass of knots and what looked like the leftovers of a burrito, and the left side of his prison uniform was coated in white frosting.

"Ah now, this takes me back," I said, earning a glare from Jackson.

"Screw you Castellan."

"You name the time and place _Jackson_." I laughed out loud when he actually blushed, glaring daggers at me, before inspecting his clothes.

This may be a different Percy than the one I was used to, but it was definitely the same old Percy.

"Where's the backpack?" I glanced around, realizing that it had failed to show up while I was checking the surroundings. I had a second to hear Percy say "Duck!" before something collided with the side of my head, sending me sprawling.

I groaned, turning over and watching as our backpack hit the ground a few feet away.

"Thanks, dad!" I called up at the sky. The bastard was probably laughing as he looked down at me. Percy walked over, smiling down at me.

"Nice catch." He said, offering a hand. I waved the hand away and pushed myself back up to my feet. Time to get to business.

"Alright, as fun as getting thrown out of Olympus was, let's move on, shall we? What do we know?"

Percy raised his eyebrows at my change of pace before giving in.

"We're both champions on a Moirai Trial, where only one demigod can be redeemed, which means eventually we'll have to fight and I'll kill you. I say we put that part off until later, agreed?"

"Agreed." I needed to get a gauge on Percy anyways, figure out how strong he was. He was already a demigod protégé when I had met him, only time would tell how he had progressed, and right now, the unfortunate truth was that Percy's prediction was true. I needed to get back into fighting shape if I wanted to beat him.

Percy had moved on "Kronos has seven monsters connected to seven demigods, which he plans to use to destroy Olympus very soon."

"How? Rachel said you knew."

Percy stayed quiet for a moment before responding. "The Telekhine's. Kronos wanted to make an invincible army, something that could stand up to the gods. The Telekhine's gave him that. They found a way of basically creating an empathy link with demigods and other beings. Through the bond, they were able to use each other's powers, but more importantly, it allowed those Kronos chose to be able to access the demigod's godly ancestry. The recipient of that power essentially became a god themselves. They would be immortal and indestructible. They wouldn't have to regenerate or turn to dust, they would simply shake off whatever hit them and keep fighting. Anyone who went against Kronos would be going against an army of pseudo-gods."

I let out a low whistle. "And the demigods just let this happen?"

Percy shrugged. "I doubt that any of them actually know. The empathy link can be made instantly if they're compatible with the demigod."

"Compatible how?"

"It's complicated. Involves emotions, shared passions, I need to check out the demigods before I can say."

"Alright. Taking a step back, how exactly do we kill them now if they're going on god mode?"

Percy shrugged. "We can't. Not yet anyways."

I let out a snort "We can't kill them? This just keeps getting better."

Percy shook his head "No, we can _kill_ them. Just now yet. First, we need to know who they are, who they're connected to, how, sever the link, and then Banish them. Like I said, it's complicated."

I nodded, mulling through the information before curiosity poked at me. "How do you know all this?" Percy stayed silent.

"It's part of why you got locked up, isn't it? Come on spill already. I stole the god weapons, what did you do?" Percy looked into my eyes, his own cold and dead.

"I know because I joined him."

My brain glitched. Percy had joined Kronos? No, no that didn't fit at all. I knew all about Kronos and the madness that he entailed. Hell, I had warned Percy about Kronos back when we were on good terms. That kid couldn't have possibly joined up with the psychopathic megalomaniac titan, even a Percy like this. It wasn't in his nature.

I studied his face, checking all the tells for a lie, but there were none. Percy had joined Kronos.

"Ok… why?"

Percy shrugged and turned away. "I'm pretty sure this is the club Hermes was talking about, I say we take a look around and then do a little recon, try and figure out how bad things really are down here, you in?"

Nice avoidance tactic. I tucked away our conversation for later before grabbing the backpack and heading to the mouth of the alley with Percy in tow. The club looked large from the outside, some type of warehouse converted into a club and lounge, all made up of the same red brick of the alleyway. Percy laughed when he saw the club sign, shaking his head.

"Really? That's what they came up with? They couldn't have thought up anything original?"

Above us, the words ' **Half-Blood Swag** ' stared back down at us in shiny neon letters illuminating the darkness.

"I like it," Percy admitted.

"Of course, you would," I muttered, earning a punch to my shoulder.

I whipped around, reaching for the backpack, but stopped, staring at Percy.

"What?"

Percy's clothes had changed. The previously garbage covered prison uniform had morphed into everyday clothing; blue chucks, black jeans, a sea green shirt, and a black and blue striped hooded jacket. The frosting and burrito remains were gone, and his skin was clean, and his hair had a shifted, taking on a skater vibe. It looked careless but purposely messy.

Percy followed my gaze, starting as he saw his new wardrobe.

"How the…" Percy trailed off as he looked at me, before saying "Looks like we're in the same boat."

I searched around the empty street, before running across the street to an empty shop window, still lit up by dull street lamps. I looked into the window, the dark glass mirroring back my own face. Percy was right.

Even as I watched, what had been my prison uniform slowly changed, bulging and bubbling, until there was nothing left of it. I had on my favorite leather jacket, my old black and red anarchy shirt, worn blue jeans, and combat boots. They were the clothes I had been wearing before I had got thrown in the slammer.

"It's like they hit a reset button." Percy mused, giving himself a once over in the glass.

I looked back at my own reflection, reaching up to feel my face. It had been a long time since I had seen myself, but Percy had summed it up. The gods had hit the reset button. I looked just like I had before that horrible day. Percy and I gasped in pained unison as our left arms suddenly burned. Black streaks stretched around our wrists, quickly expanding, and in a matter of seconds, twin cuffs made of dark metal were clamped tightly on our wrists. For a moment they pulsed with power, and as I watched, a bronze caduceus appeared on mine, while a trident of the same color appeared on Percy's.

Percy and I exchanged looks, a silent statement going out instantly. Yes, we weren't trapped in a cell anymore, but we were far from free. I pressed against the cool metal of the cuff, trying to find a loose point, but there was none. It was practically fused to my arm. There was a crash and we both whipped around, and we saw a heavy looking man throwing a shirtless teen out of the club.

"And don't come back!" He yelled as the teen ran off, howling and jumping.

Music and lights poured out from the door until the man slammed the door shut. Percy and I exchanged glances, before I grabbed my sword out of my backpack, strapping it to my side, and slung the pack over my shoulders.

"Aren't you going to worry about that?" Percy asked. Riptide was being flipped around his palm, dashing between his fingers in a white blur. Things definitely didn't change, he still had the same old nervous tics.

"Don't worry, mortals can't even see it. Now come on, let's find out what we're dealing with."

Percy and I stalked across the street and pushed open the door into a short hallway. More lights and music blew past us, coming from some main room, and the tired looking man who had thrown out the teen glanced up at us, before waving his hand, ushering us in. Despite the horrible name, Half-Blood Swag was pretty nice.

The music was coming from a band up onstage at the far end of the warehouse, the noise somehow pumping through the entire place, while lights of all different colors, shapes, and sizes lit up the whole room.

The room felt hot and crowded, people were dancing and jumping, laughing, talking, singing along, dancing; it was a party. A small booze shop had been set up next to the bar, with a steady line of people leading up to it.

Something felt right about being here, something made me want to be here forever, to never leave. Why was I here again anyways? What did I need to be doing? Who cared? Percy was next to me, swaying slightly before he flinched back, eyes snapping to the stage. He said something, but over the noise, I couldn't hear him. Damn, he looked good.

Had I wanted to kill him? Nah, I could think of much better things to do with that body of his. Memories of what I had done came swirling back and I smiled. At least until Percy suddenly pinched me. Clarity suddenly shot back through and I saw Percy waving his hand in front of my face.

"You have to focus. The singer, she's a siren."

I frowned, glancing back to the stage, studying the singer. For a second, all I saw was a hot brunette in a slutty 70's waitress uniform, but the more I focused, the more I saw a fat looking hag with the body of a vulture, covered in rags. That was it.

"I'm gonna take a swing, that this is one of the reasons why nobody knows why Kronos and his goons are here?"

Percy nodded. It was actually pretty ingenious. Individually a siren's song was overpowering, and it would be too easily noticed, but in a big public area, where what looked like the majority of the town came, its voice was spread so thin that it was hypnotic and poked your subconscious into relaxing, letting go of all intelligent thoughts. Genius.

"I've got Wise Girl," Percy said, staring off into the crowd.

"Who?"

Percy laughed, before freezing, glancing back at me. "Never mind. It's the blonde girl."

I followed his gaze, finding the daughter of Athena, Amelia or Anastasia or something, playing pool. Wise Girl huh? Just one more thing about Percy to file to the back of my head. I looked around, trying to get a lock on the other targets.

"I got the dwarf on crack and the Asian kid," I said, watching as the two played some arcade game in the corner.

I watched as the chubby one looked back and forth from the game to the corner of the room, and saw the other girl, Hazel, playing poker. And by the piles of chips at her end of the table, I'd say she was doing pretty well.

"Alright, four down, three to go. We're still missing Piper, Jason, and… Nico."

Piper was easy to find actually. All I had to do was look for the biggest crowd in the room. Ms. Drop Dead Gorgeous was in the middle of a throng of twelve or so equally gorgeous girls, all in skimpy uniforms, all grinding up against each other and anyone brave enough to come close.

"I'll go ahead and take care of her and her entourage, I'm sure I can handle them," I said, taking a few steps towards them.

Percy grabbed my arm, and snapped me back, throwing me up against a column, his ocean eyes dark and stormy.

"You can stop being a horny idiot, we're kind of trying to save the world from getting destroyed."

"I'm not being a horny idiot, and believe me, I'll make sure the world gets saved. The fact that there's a throng of hot chicks who'll be screaming my name in a few minutes is just a happy coincidence in the grand scheme of things. " I hummed, watching hungrily as she and her friends spun on the dance floor.

It was easy to laugh at his grimace before a flash of blond caught my eye. I glanced over Percy's shoulder, ignoring him as he went on a mini-rant, focusing on the blonde. The last demigod from the file, Grace, was looking over at us a hungry look in his eyes. The kid had good tastes. I winked at him and he started making his way through the crowd.

"Sparky's on his way over. You might wanna stand back, he's got his eyes on the prize."

Percy made a disgusted sound and pushed me away, moving back towards the entrance. I shrugged, throwing back on a smile and turning back to Sparky, only to see him correcting his course, gaze locked on the son of Poseidon.

I felt my pride drop about three notches. Alright, so sadly some less than average stupid people out there didn't know when the god's gift to women (and men) was right in front of them. Too bad for them. I rushed ahead, catching up with Percy and quickly steering him to the exit.

"What? Sparky too much for you to handle?" Percy snapped, quickly stepping away from me.

I shrugged. "Not my type looks a little uptight."

"If you think he's uptight you should…" Percy trailed off, before jumping back into the darkness of the alley. I hopped in after him, glancing around.

"What's up?" Percy pointed down the street, where a hellhound was slowly meandering down the street. "No way there's going to be just a random monster wandering around. Kronos wouldn't want any accidents, especially with such a high demigod population. It's out because most of the town is all trapped in one area, which means that now it's going to be headed home."

"Base of operations?" Percy questioned.

"Probably. Let's find out."

Percy and I slowly followed the beast through town, ducking behind cars and corners, hoping our scent blended in with all the other demigods around time. Soon we were past the town limits, through the thick ring of trees that surrounded the town on all sides, and down the highway.

After ages, the beast finally went got off the main road, following a beaten dirt road leading off into shadows. An old sign was stuck in the dirt reading "Private Property. Othrys Junkyard." "Othrys. Is that…?" I glanced back at Percy, but Percy kept his head forward stomping forward.

Othrys. The titan equivalent of Olympus. The possibility of actually finding the base of operations was getting better and better. The end of the road tilted violently suddenly, the entire area sinking in to form a large valley area. Trash was heaped all around, piles of it making a maze of junk for what looked like miles. A barbed wire fence circled the junkyard, rusted and old.

A single old shack stood behind the one lone gate, standing beside the only light in the whole junkyard. And standing high above the rest of the junkyard, highlighted bright against the moonlight, was one of the largest piles of garbage I had ever seen. It was tall enough that it went all the way from the bottom of the valley far below, to a good half a mile above us. The only way it had remained hidden for so long were the tall trees, their branches stretching just right to block it from every angle.

"But how did we not see it? I mean, if it's that big…"

"Look." Percy pointed back from the hellhound. It approached the main gate and was only feet away when it suddenly vanished into thin air. I glanced around taking everything back in, mind racing.

"Some type of glamor must be bending the Mist to a proportion that even we can't see things."

Percy nodded. "It has to be, it's hiding the Titan's home. We probably aren't even seeing the whole things, it's probably still even bigger than this. If Kronos is still using his old bag of tricks, then there's probably some kind of shield up to, something that only lets monsters and those he allows to enter. For now, we're literally blind. We know there's monster here, but how many we don't know. The minimum is eight, the seven connected to the demigods, plus this hellhound. But for all, we know there could be a whole army. Kronos is probably in there too, and how many titans he has, we don't know. We don't know how they connected the demigods, we don't know how long that siren has been brainwashing the community. We know literally nothing. How long do we have again?"

I shrugged, rubbing the metal cuff on my arm. So many problems, too few answers, and not enough time.

My thief sense went off, some instinct inside my head warning me that we were no longer alone. I stretched my arms up, tilting my head to the side just slightly, and eyes snapping through the trees. My son of Hermes genes was up and kicking. Everything was lit up to me in brilliant detail, all the possible hiding spots, ambush areas, and rest stops exposed, and after a few seconds, my Spidey senses were confirmed. Back at the beginning of the road, I could see the back of a purple shirt, half hidden by one of the thicker trees on the road.

Purple shirt… That was Sparky, wasn't it? Huh, so the kid had followed us. I shrugged and was turning back around when something else caught my eye. This time I didn't notice it because of clothing or snapped twigs, or in fact any normal giveaways.

The only reason I even suspected that the Grace boy wasn't our only follower was because all the shadows less than twenty feet away at the base of the trees were contorted. They twisted around, deviating from where they should be, pointing towards the base. With all the demigods I had ever encountered, only one had ever had something as similar as that to happen, and he had been a son of Hades.

"Percy." I hummed softly.

Percy glanced over to me, and I carefully turned away from the road and the base of the tree, tapping my chest. Percy's eyes widened, watching as I performed some of our old signals. It had been a long time since we had used them; a secret language between the two of us, part sign language, part Morse, part English, part Greek, all code.

Back when in the beginning when it had just been the two of us together, it had saved our lives too many times to count. _Two followers. Jupiter and Hades._ Percy's eyes somehow got bigger, and for a split second he started to turn around, but thought better of it at the very last second.

"I think it's about time we found where we're going to be staying," Percy said, now purposely staring straight ahead.

I nodded, looking back out at the junkyard. Like I had said before, far too many questions, not enough answers, and definitely not enough time. Just another suicidal adventure for us demigods.

 

* * *

**Alright, hope you enjoy, have a great night/day/morning, please read and review, and if you liked this, check up on some of my other works, thanks!**

 


	5. Gold Rush

 

 

**Gold Rush**

Percy POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, The Shoebox**

**20** days,  **18**  hours, **36** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

I was in heaven right now, wrapped up in a cocoon of soft, thick blankets, lying on a real bed. For once I had slept, and no nightmares had smuggled themselves into my brain. This was the first time in over four years that I wasn't sleeping on a hard cot, or trapped in an empty cell, locked away from any semblance of reality. Sure, I was manacled, sworn to do my duty or die trying as a mark of the Trial, but I was free.

I couldn't remember how long it had been since I had been free. Definitely more than four years. And compared to where I had been before I was taken to the Hall of Fallen Heroes; those four years were actually pretty good. I frowned as memories started crawling up to the surface, pulling the blankets tighter.

I wasn't defined by my past, I wouldn't be controlled by it, and I certainly wouldn't let it get the better of me. I had gone through a lot to get here, to get my second chance. Redemption didn't come cheap, and I wasn't the only one who had paid the price.

A low moan came from the other side of the room, and all the peace and happiness that had been flooding through me only seconds before instantly drained out. Luke. The very thought of his name made my blood boil in anger. The arrogant, self-centered, narcissistic, manipulative git! It was his fault any of this had happened in the first place.

The douchebag had manipulated a broken naïve eleven-year-old, leading him on and ripping apart, telling him that he mattered and wouldn't be abused or abandoned anymore, and then pinned one of the greatest heists in demigod history on him, sicking all of Olympus and the entire mythological world on him while he ran off with the goods. And that was only the beginning of the story.

A muffled yawn followed the moan, and I let out an irritated sigh and pushed myself out of my warm cocoon. I glared over at the other side of the room, where Luke was sprawled across his own bed in nothing but boxers. The cocky jerk could never miss a chance to show off his body. Some things never changed. He didn't even like the base Hermes had given us.

I admit I was kind of thrilled to have my own home, even if it was just for a mission. Yeah, it was on the smaller side, and sure it only had three rooms; a single bathroom with a stand-up shower, a bedroom with two twin beds, and a 'kitchen' if could even be called that (it only had a mini fridge, a microwave oven, and a sink), which was also our dining room, and living room.

Luke had been disgusted by it, swearing about how tiny it was, and going on about how we could barely breathe in it. It reminded me of another home I had had a long time ago, my only _real_ home. Back when I still had my mom. I had affectionately christened it with the same title my mom and I had named our old home; the Shoebox.

Somehow in the middle of all the chaos, it made this small corner seem safe I guess. Luke stirred in his sleep, slowly sitting up and stretching, carefully toned muscles bulging and he moved, before smirking sleeping at me.

"See something you want Jackson?"

I flipped him off and hopped out of bed, draping one of the blankets over my shoulders and making my way to the kitchen. Rest was nice, but if things were as bad as they seemed, it was time to get to work. So much to do, so many people, and so many old faces…

I poured myself a tall glass of milk, before grabbing our lone chair and the backpack, sitting next to the sink to mull everything over. I pulled out the demigod files, spreading them out on the minute countertop.

Hazel, Piper, Frank, Annabeth, Leo, Nico, and Jason. I only knew two of them, and I had no clue how much they had changed since we had been together. The rest were complete strangers, simply names on paper. How did they fit into all of this? I already knew the answer. The old me had already pieced everything together.

That piece of me that I kept bottled up in the dark, along with all the other dark pieces and memories of myself I didn't want to remember. This was the Percy who had been with Kronos. I gave in, forcing myself to revert to my old mindset, and looking at all the pieces. Seven demigods, seven monsters, and seven connections.

In a town full of demigods, why weren't all the demigods connected? There was something special about them. Some of their qualities must match up perfectly, somehow shortening the usual six-month process into a matter of weeks. What did he base them off of though?

"What'cha looking at?" Luke drawled, shuffling into the kitchen, still all but nude.

"What comes in seven?" I asked out loud, ignoring him.

Luke stopped for a second, blinking several times before resuming his actions and going for the fridge. "Seven? Um… Seven Wonders of the World, seven seas, seven continents, seven days of the week, seven colors of the rainbow… running on blanks here… um, mom was big on the Bible, so seven days of creation? That work?"

I shook my head. No, none of those worked, nothing there actually- wait, the Bible. Kronos had loved to mock the religion that had replaced his own. Then again, there was always one aspect he enjoyed…

"Seven deadly sins."

"Come again?"

I elaborated. "Kronos always loved the sins, the fact that they outlined their lives by making essentially everything he cherished be wrong, and everything he despised, be right. And it works here too, the aspects of the sins are powerful, if you matched them up carefully with the right demigod, then you would have some supercharged empathy links. That's why he was able to speed things up. Now we have to figure out who has which trait…"

I trailed off again, staring at the demigods. Even with this wonderful little hint, until we found out more about the demigods themselves, we were still in the dark.

"Ok they all have their own sin, they all have some creepy monster stalker, how do we beat the monsters? You said we couldn't last night."

"No, I said that we couldn't kill them yet. Like I said it's complicated. For now, we steer clear of the monster population. Right now, all we need to do is find the demigods, and determine what sin they are. Once we do that, I'll clue you in on the rest."

Luke nodded, somehow pulling a fresh cup of steaming coffee out of the fridge. "Your friend Rachel was right about Jason and Nico. Jason tailed us all the way from the club, and Nico- honestly, I have no idea what's up with that kid. How do you know him anyway?"

The image of a frightened boy demanding that I take him back into a titan infested school to save his sister flashed through my head.

"Long story. Don't want to get into the details. Right now, we need more info. Any recent developments, anything out of the ordinary, and I mean anything. Get dressed."

Luke grumbled, finishing off his drink. The town was eerily deserted when we finally exited the Shoebox. No one was walking around, almost all the shops were closed, and the few cars that did pass us were all headed for the same destination.

The only buildings open were lone convenience drug stores, the Golden Touch Pawn Shop, and Half-Blood Swag. Not even monsters were lurking as we passed through, going from place to place. When we finally stopped in front of the club though, it became apparent why.

The siren was still singing; her song was being blasted outside the club, constantly drawing more and more people in. The whole town had been sucked into the club, hypnotized by that stupid song. Even Luke's eyes looked a little glazed as we walked in, head starting to bob to the melody of her voice.

Immunity was easy enough once you figured out how to get it. One way was to stuff your ears and block out everything. Not really practical, especially when you were trying to talk to people. The music didn't work on me. The magic of the Sirens Song-most enchantments actually- didn't work on me anymore. Years of war, death, and torture had taken away those weaknesses.

A bell and lights went off above the all the noise, and I glanced over in time to see Hazel throwing out handfuls of poker chips to everyone. How much money did that girl have? In the file, it said that her family made barely enough money to support themselves.

By the look of it, most of their clothes were homemade, hand me downs, or donations. And yet there she was, wearing brand new designer clothes, throwing around money like it was nothing. I slid up next to the bar and nodded in Hazel's direction.

"Girl looks like she's winning big."

The bartender glanced up disinterestedly. "Levesque? No kidding. Poorest girl in town goes from rags to riches overnight. She's always been an oddball, now though-" The man shook his head "Most people think she's dealing dirty."

"How come?"

"Because she started getting rich right after the town hit its gold rush."

"Gold rush?"

My mind rushed to put the pieces together. Hazel was obviously greed in this scheme. And her father was Pluto, Roman god of riches, minerals, and metals. No, I almost had it, the answer was just outside my reach. There were too many beings related to greed though.

"And if you ask me," The bartender started ranting, starting to go on about how Hazel's family was cursed, but I tuned him out.

I had heard this part of the story too many times. I couldn't see the other demigods this time, they were hidden in the throng of bodies. I couldn't even see Luke. I slowly circled the room, completely out of it, before my eyes caught on something. I frowned, starting to focus again, trying to figure out what had gained my interest.

Dark eyes bored holes into me from across the room, the owner standing in the shadows, leaning up against the far wall. Nico stood there, watching me. How could that be the kid I had saved? I hadn't even known him for an hour, but seeing him now felt wrong. He shouldn't have ended up like this.

_All your fault_.

I shivered, trying to block out the voice, trying to block out the screams. That wasn't who I was anymore. _All dead_. I shook my head angrily, trying to get rid of the pain and sorrow. Things needed to be fixed. I had to make up for what had happened to Nico.

I still remembered that night, watching his sister turn to stone, watching him run into the woods. I remember the smoke, the fire, the pain, the storm, the blood. So much blood.

"Hey."

I started, Riptide's pen snapping back into my palm of my hand, only to relax as Luke slid into the stool beside me. I glanced back in Nico's direction, the shadows were empty again. Nico was gone.

"Hey yourself," I said, turning my focus to the blonde.

"I found out some news about a gold rush, a bunch of 'gold' material suddenly rushing through town. Gold plates, gold goblets, gold coins, gold stereos, gold vases. Eavesdropped a group of older guys, they say the gold isn't natural, too perfect, too smooth. Almost like it was carved by the gods."

"It has to do with Hazel. She's the daughter of Pluto, god of Riches, it links back to greed. Too perfect you said?" Luke nodded.

"Carved by the gods?"

"Yup."

"Then I know who our monster is."

Luke smiled in anticipation "Sweet; who do we get to kill first?" I shook my head.

"We don't get to kill anyone first. First things first, I think it's time we go have a chat with our golden girl."

* * *

**Alright, that's out there. I hope you enjoyed. If it's worse than usual, you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please let me know, I'm always looking to improve and it's hard to get better if you don't say anything. Hope you're intrigued and ready for the next one, and if you enjoyed this, take a look at some of my other works. Please READ AND REVIEW, have a wicked weekend!**

 


	6. The Golden Girl

 

 

 

**The Golden Girl**

Luke POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Half-Blood Swag**

**20** days,  **12**  hours, **37** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Percy was pissed off. Every time we tried to corner Hazel or talk to her, another game would start up, and she would run back, pulling folds of money out, eager to play and win. The fact that a thick throng of moochers crowded around her, eagerly trying to nick her winnings and cheering her on didn't help one bit. It was a good thing that girl was vigilant.

She snapped at anyone who got too close to her pile of chips, cash, and trophies. She went as far as to backhand a girl who tried to grab one of her cards. I watched the girl carefully, watched as she won and lost, studied her face as she smiled and laughed. She had grown up like I had; poor rejected, and careful. But something, or rather, someone, had changed that.

If Percy was right about Kronos and his whole 'seven sins' thing, then he was spot on when he had accused Hazel of being Greed. The way she raked in all her winnings, stuffing them into any available opening, stockpiling her new best friends, there wasn't much else she could be. The longer I watched her, the more I pitied her. The girl had finally struck it rich.

She had probably gone off and bought everything she had ever wanted, the careful conservative girl she had once been quickly vanishing as she experienced her freedom. She looked happy now, and honestly, I might have made the mistake of saying that she really was. But her eyes were to empty, too lost. The old girl, the real Hazel Levesque was trapped in there, buried underneath a fear of losing the freedom that she never had in the first place.

It was time to change that. Percy started to make another go at whisking her away when I stood up and screamed: "Drinks are on the house!" The bartender gave a 'deer-in-the-headlights' look as the crowd cheered and rushed to the bar. I grabbed Percy by the hand and ran, twisting and slipping through the crowd, emerging on the other side.

Hazel was sitting alone at a roulette table, lazily spinning the wheel.

"How long is this going to take?"

Percy shrugged worriedly and glanced back to the crowd where angry grumbles and irked shouts were starting to sound.

"I don't know, they never actually broke one of the empathy links after they made them. Everything after making the link was purely theoretical."

"What the hell are we even doing then?"

"I'm improvising!" Percy snapped.

I threw my hands out in exasperation, running a hand through my hair. Eleven years, and he was still an idiot. Go figure. The wild-eyed boy slid smoothly into the seat beside Hazel, and her golden eyes snapped over to the newcomer.

"Hi, I'm Percy, Percy Jackson, pleased to meet you."

"Hazel." She offered, extending her hand.

Percy gladly shook it, glancing back to the crowd. "Listen, I heard you recently came by a large sum of gold, and-"

"Not interested." Hazel waved him away.

Percy frowned and pushed on. "Well, it's kind of important, I-"

"Am not interested. You're not the first person around here to have some crazy get rich quick scheme, do you really think you're going to con me that easily?"

Uh oh. I tried to move in to help out, but Percy was already trying again.

"Con you? No, that's not what-"

Hazel interrupted again, slamming her hand down on the table, toppling small piles of chips. "It's my gold, I own it fair and square, now get your own and stay the hell away from it and me."

Percy clenched his fist, eyes darkening in exasperation. "Hazel would you-"

"Do I need to call security? Thief! He's trying to steal from me! Police! Security!" Hazel waved her hand, but the crowd was still distracted.

"I know about your curse!" Percy blurted out.

Hazel stopped waving, hand still in the air and gave Percy a disgusted look. "My curse? Did my friends put you up to this? I saw how they get when I finally got a little money, those greedy little moochers aren't going to get any of it."

Percy shook his head. "No, I'm talking about the one that lets you see the things that no one else can."

Hook.

Hazel froze, eyes wide.

"I really don't want your money, Hazel. No one put me up to this, and I'm not here to con you or humiliate you, I'm trying to help you."

"How do you know about me seeing things? I didn't tell anyone about that."

"I know about it because I can see them too."

Line.

"You can?" Percy nodded. "I really need to talk to you Ms. Levesque, and it's not safe here. I need you to trust me I promise I'll explain everything. Will you do that?"

Hazel nodded.

Sinker.

Not bad for such a bad start. Percy helped Hazel up, the girl unable to take her eyes off of him.

"The Shoebox is just down the road, it'll be safe there, come on."

I scoffed at that but followed the pair nonetheless out of the club. The Shoebox. A shoebox would have been bigger that that stupid excuse for an apartment dad had given us. Probably would have smelled better too.

I glanced back as the small riot at the bar turned into a full-on brawl, chuckling before letting the door slam shut. We led Hazel back through town to the apartment complex; a small gray, one-story building with only six rooms. I jogged ahead and pulled out my key, throwing open the door for the other two.

"Put up some wards while I get her settled," Percy ordered, taking Hazel to the kitchen.

I rolled my eyes but obliged. I grabbed the backpack, digging around inside until I found a small container, holding three small sticks of chalk and went back outside, getting to work.

No place was ever safe for demigods, not even Olympus (the probability of ticking off a god and getting turned into a flower or worse was a little too high for anyone's liking). But there were things we could do to protect ourselves. Wards were one of the more powerful methods.

Symbols of magic and Mist from Hecate allowed for various levels of protection. I put up as many as I could remember; a pure defensive ward to act as a shield, a mist ward to hide whatever non-mortal activity that could be seen, a monster ward to bury our demigod scent, an alarm ward to give us a warning, tripwire, confusion, mirror wards and more.

When I was finally done, I had used up two of our three chalk sticks, but it was worth it. We were safe from most dangers now, only an all-out assault by an army of monsters, a titan, or a god could get in. I wished we could use the symbols more, protect the whole town. But it wasn't to be.

The chalk sticks were made by Hecate herself, using moon dust and pure Mist, with powers beyond comprehension, and probably sanity as well, getting more wouldn't be easy. And besides, unless you were a child of Hecate herself, you would never be able to use them on anything larger than our minuscule haven. I walked back into the house in time to hear Percy wrapping up the unfortunate story of our lives.

I had caught bits and pieces through the door, hearing him explain how we were demigods, gloss over the monsters of our world, and assure Hazel that she wasn't cursed or crazy. He even gave her the file we had on her, explaining why we were here. I wasn't positive, but

I'm pretty sure the fact that we were both considered dangerous, no good traitors, criminals, and scumbags by most of the 'good' world just happened to slip his mind as he concluded his speech. Hazel leaned back in her chair, tapping a bottled water Percy had given her against the countertop as she stared off into space. Percy glanced over at me, sending me a quick flurry of hand movements. _All done?_

I nodded, glancing back at the daughter of Pluto.

Noticing our gazes, Hazel blushed and looked back down. "Sorry, it's just… you know."

"A lot to take in?" I asked.

Hazel nodded. Percy chuckled, reclining against the counter.

"Believe me, we know how it feels. Take your time."

Another few minutes went by before Hazel looked up, a guilty expression on her face.

"I really want to believe you, and I do, but you have to be pranking me. I mean, I could have been seeing things. Is there any way to prove all this?" Hazel hadn't even finished her sentence when Percy snapped out Riptide and tossed the pen to her.

"Go ahead, take off the top. Watch your fingers though."

Hazel cautiously grabbed the pen cap and gave it a sharp tug. I couldn't help laughing when the pen instantly morphed into Riptide, watching as she dropped the glowing blade, letting out a gasp of surprise. Percy bent down, snatching up his sword and capping it again, before tucking it away in one of his pockets.

Hazel was opening her mouth to speak when Percy stretched out his hand. The water bottle Hazel had put down when she caught the pen suddenly levitated into the air, the water inside churning and bubbling, pushing the water into the air and towards him, happily heeding the son of Poseidon's call. The bottle floated into his outstretched hand, and Percy twisted off the cap, before pouring it out.

The water stayed in midair, floating and pulsing. Percy flexed his fingers, and the water shifted, and seconds later, a few dolphins made entirely of water were twisting and spinning through the air.

Hazel stared with wide-eyed wonder as the dolphins circled the room, elegantly looping through the air, before coming to a sudden collision in front of her, binding together into words to say 'Believe Hazel'. Even I was staring in amazement as Percy held out the empty bottle, pulling the water back out of the air and into it, before twisting the cap back on.

The level of control he had employed was incredible. Back when we had been together, Percy had only been able to make crude constructs, and even then, had had issues in forcing them to maintain a constant form.

Hazel let out a squeal. "That was incredible! I can't believe it that was just- wow!"

Percy smiled proudly before Hazel looked at her own hands. "I'm a demigod too, does that mean I can do that?"

Percy shook his head. "No, I get that from my dad. Your dad's different, remember?"

Hazel nodded, looking glum. "Yeah, Pluto. Big whoop."

I laughed again, wondering what her dear old dad was thinking now. "You're a kid of the big three Haze, that is a pretty big whoop. Pluto's the god of Underworld, darkness, the earth, and riches. You just found out you're a demigod, I bet you'll have all kinds of crazy abilities in no time."

Hazel beamed.

"Thanks, Percy. This is all really amazing. And you're saying most people in town are demigods? Who else, anyone I know? Are we going to tell them?"

Percy nodded, then shook his head.

"Yeah, most of the town is made up of demigods. But we're not going to tell them that they are. Or at least not yet. Being a demigod and not knowing is dangerous, but being a demigod and knowing that you are one is way worse. For now, we're going to leave things be. And like I said, we're on a mission, and specifically, we have to save some of you who have been linked with the monsters. I'll get back to that in a second. What was the other question?"

"The others, who are they?"

Percy closed his eyes for a second, a tired look on his face. He and Hazel had been talking for a long time, for the already questionable amount of brainpower Percy had, he must be getting tired. "There's you, Piper, Frank, Annabeth, Leo, and Jason."

"And Nico."

I added. Percy's eyes flashed angrily at me for a moment, only to throw back on a smile as Hazel glanced at him.

"Nico? He's my cousin, I might be able to help you talk to him. I know Frank and Jason, we used to hang out before things started happening. I don't know the others."

"Cool," I smiled down at Hazel, earning a slight blush "That'll help a lot. But right now, let's focus on you."

Hazel nodded, looking back to Percy. "You were talking about Saturn-Kronos I mean, sorry, instinct I guess. Anyways, you said he hooked monsters up to us? Well, I don't want a monster in my head, I already have to deal with enough, let's get it out."

Percy hesitated.

"Here's where it gets a little tricky" He admitted "I know all about how the bond is made, what happens if the demigod is killed, how to extort the bond, and how to establish them, but I didn't stick around long enough for them to find out how to destroy the bond. But, I do remember the studies they did, so I'm going to try my best. But the problem Hazel is that you can't just want to get rid of the bond. In fact, you're the only one who can get rid of it."

"How?"

"Don't take offense, but in the sequence that Kronos went with, your match up with Greed. And from what I've seen of your psych evaluation, it's definitely a problem. Whenever you get anything- money, food, books, toys, anything- you hoard it, and then you go after more. You won't stop until you have more than anyone else because you never had much to start with, you want to feel secure, safe. And there's nothing wrong with feeling safe. But that want, that needs for more; that's how this happened. And for you to get rid of the link, you're going to have to get rid of that want."

Hazel stared down at her new designer shoes.

"It's not that bad…" She said, trying to argue.

A few seconds of silence went by before she looked up, guiltily. "You're right. I didn't have much growing up. And now I have this, this itch. I've lost a lot of stuff over the years, I had to be the responsible person, I had to help keep things going, I had to support my mom when things went bad. And because I had to give up all that stuff, I always wanted for there to be a day when I would finally be like all those rich folks, the ones who have everything they wanted and more. And whenever I do get something, I do kinda go a little… overboard."

I raised an eyebrow. "You accused us of trying to con and steal from you in less than a minute."

Hazel chuckled nervously. "How'd you get the money anyways? Are you the one with all the gold?"

Hazel shook her head. "No, all the gold comes from my work."

"Your work?"

"Yeah, I'm the cashier at the Golden Touch Pawn Shop. My boss is loaded, and to top it off a total philanthropist. He's got a whole room full of pure gold, he's got it made into perfect replicas of everything. Gold TV's, gold phones, gold picture frames, rings, coins, lamps, hubcaps, tables, bowling balls. They had a guy come check it out a while ago, and it's all totally legit. It's insane. I'm not sure if he's crazy or hitting on me, probably both, because I get paid roughly nine hundred bucks an hour."

I let out a low whistle.

"I wouldn't mind a job like that. How often are you at the club? Because you spent a lot more than nine hundred, and somehow I doubt your boss came before that siren."

"Siren?"

"The singer. She's the reason why everyone stays there or keeps coming back, we weren't sure."

Hazel shrugged her shoulders.

"The band rests for two hours every day, always at four and five. It's funny, I always feel like I'm in a daze when I leave after that. And my boss pays in cash at the end of each day, so I've been kind of going wild. And with all the luck I've been getting at the games…"

"That wasn't luck," I said.

Hazel and Percy looked at me questioningly.

"You're Greed. Your boss and Kronos don't want you to stop being that aspect, they want to you to be as greedy and defensive as possible. The more you win, the more you have, the more you want, the more aggressive you get." "How do I stop being greed? I mean, I don't want to be like that. But I can't help it. Being in here is like getting a breath of fresh air, I can see what I've been doing, and I can't believe that was me." I had to agree with her. How do you stop being greedy? Wanting more is another base mortal reaction, you couldn't really help it. Percy thought for a while before saying "You have to be happy with what you have. Yeah, it's ok to want more and to get more, but you need to find a way to suppress that 'itch'. You control that, you control your greed, and it doesn't control you."

"It can't be that easy," Hazel said.

Percy sighed, throwing up his hands, looking to me tiredly. I stepped in, a plan already coming into being.

"How much money do you have on you?"

Hazel looked startled, for a second, before reaching into her purse, emptying its contents along with her pockets. "Three, one, two, twenty… Three thousand one hundred twenty dollars and sixty-nine cents."

Damn…

"How would you like to double that?"

Hazel twitched, eyes appraising me hungrily, while Percy interjected. "Um, Luke? We're trying to get rid of her greed, not make it worse."

"Can it Percy. What do say?"

"What do you mean?" Hazel asked, her whole manner returning to the Hazel we had met at the club. "Dice. There's a set in the backpack, the first person to get seven or eleven wins. Winner takes all."

"Luke, I don't think-"

"Bring it," Hazel said. I smiled, grabbing a pair of dice Hermes had thrown in there. I shook them up and threw them down, only for Hazel to snatch them up. "You wouldn't mind if I check them? Just in case of course?"

I smiled warmly. "Of course."

Hazel tested out the die, weighing them in her hand, before tossing them out. Six and three. While she was distracted I signed out a quick message. _Trust me._ "They seem clean. Sleeves up, no cheating."

"Same goes for you," I said, rolling up my jacket sleeves.

Hazel rolled again. Five and four. I rolled. Two and six. Hazel rolled. Four and four. I shook my hand, blowing through my fingers and rolled. The dice rolled, spinning on the table, and for a brief second, there was a four and three. And then gravity claimed its prize. Four and two.

Hazel smiled and rolled. "Six thousand two hundred forty-one dollars and thirty-eight cents huh? I could roll around in that for hours."

Five and five. We kept going, and I started getting lower and lower numbers, while Hazel pushed forward, always getting one more or one less than our targets. Before I realized what, I was doing, I was praying for my dad as I rolled the dice. Five and two. For a split second, my mind sent a thank you out to my father before I crushed it, righteous anger spewing curses up at him.

Percy let out a sigh of relief, and I smiled happily as I pulled in the raw cash. Hazel stared down in a daze.

"But… my money."

"My money, not to get technical or anything."

Hazel stared at my pile hungrily.

"Double or nothing." She demanded.

We played again. This time I got an eleven on my first role.

"I accept checks," I said with a smile.

Hazel frowned, her knuckles going white with strain as she gripped the countertop.

"What do you think Percy? Should I give her one more chance?"

Percy nodded and gave me a small smile. My heart kicked a bit harder as he smiled, a tick of pride that made me realize that he was doing exactly what I had asked. Trusting me. And that made me feel something, something I didn't want to feel, especially for him, especially not again.

"You doing ok Hazel?" I asked, forcing myself to go back to the task at hand.

She nodded mutely, and I smile smugly. From the expression on her face, this wouldn't take much longer. "You know, I really like those shoes. Maybe I'll get Percy to do a strip tease in them for me later. What do you say? My newly acquired fortune against your shoes?"

Hazel grabbed the dice and rolled. When we finished our game, I tossed the pair of designer shoes to Percy with a wink. Percy glared at me while I turned back to Hazel.

"He'd look pretty good in that jacket of yours too. Or are you all done?"

Hazel was not all done. And four games later, I had a beautiful gold and black metallic short sleeved jacket, gold and black Capri pants, a low neckline sleeveless gold and black glitter designer top, and socks (Guess what colors!). Hazel was huffing and puffing angrily beside me, now only left in her bra and panties, tantalizing dark skin exposed for everyone to see.

"Bra for it all." She demanded.

No complaints on my end, "As you wish beautiful."

I glanced over to Percy, who had, of course, averted his eyes, an angry scowl on his face.

"Get me a mirror."

Percy gave me a lost look, before understanding suddenly dawned upon his face, and he rushed to the bathroom. I heard clinks and clangs as he hastily tried to pry the bathroom mirror off the wall while I turned back to Hazel and offered her the dice. Hazel snatched them out of my hand and threw them.

Five and five. I rolled. Three and five. Come on, I needed our luck to last for one more second. At least until Percy got back with that mirror. Hazel sputtered in disbelief as I rolled another seven. She was shaking as she slowly looked up at me, face blank.

"You know, for starting off so badly, this day is actually getting better and better," I chirped.

I couldn't help the lecherous smile that spread across my lips and held out my hand expectantly. Hazel stared at it uncomprehendingly for a few seconds, before remembering the bet. She slowly reached to unhook her bra. I was almost annoyed when Percy suddenly ran in carrying the mirror.

"Hazel!"

Hazel stopped in her actions, looking up as Percy whirled the mirror around. Hazel stared into her own reflection, not understanding what she was seeing.

"Greed's impossible to get rid of. It's always going to be there, no matter what, always whispering in your ear. But there's a great way to get yours under control. Have you ever heard of the term scared straight?"

Hazel didn't answer. She was staring in shock at her own reflection, the realization of how much she had done and had almost done catching up to her. Tears started to roll down her cheeks, and she covered her mouth, small sobs coming out.

"You have serious problems, Hazel. And you're going to have to work on them and resist them your whole life because that itch you were talking about? Look at what it just did to you. This is a nice little spoiler for where your life's headed because Kronos and his lackeys aren't going to stay in this town forever, and when they do, all the people they've been bribing to let you win and all the money they've been giving you is going to leave with them. You're going to get desperate, and this is going to be what happens. Except, when it does happen, people like Percy and I aren't going to be there to save you or let you off easy. Is that really what you want?"

Hazel collapsed into a heap, sobbing and shaking. Percy set the mirror down, grabbing the blanket he had brought out with him earlier in the morning and draping it over her. He whispered to her, and the two talked, a conversation that was either too tear racked or quiet for me to ever understand. When they finished talking, Percy handed Hazel back her clothes. She sniffled one last time, wiping her cheek, slowly pulling her apparel back on. It was a good thing she didn't' wear makeup, her cheeks were tear stained and her eyes were red and puffy.

When she finally stood back up, she looked different. She still looked like the small unsure girl as usual, but she was changing. Determination and strength poured out of her. This Hazel was the real Hazel, the one Kronos and his goons had managed to bury.

"No." She said. Seeing my questioning look she explained "That's not what I want. I know what I want now. I want this."

Hazel motioned around us.

"I want your life. I want to be able to help people. Even if I'm not fighting monsters or saving the world, I want to help. I want to help others like you helped me."

Percy smiled proudly and gave me a thumbs up before turning to Hazel.

"Welcome to the gang Haze." He said, giving Hazel a big hug.

Hazel eagerly accepted, crying again, but this time out of happiness. I hung back, feeling suddenly empty. When Hazel looked over, I managed to force a quick smile, before going back to brooding.

"Whoa!" Hazel exclaimed.

We all looked over in time to see a golden cord appear out of thin air. The cord glowed, going straight through the wall moving as Hazel moved her arm. Why was she holding it, and where had it come from? It took me a few seconds to realize that she wasn't holding this end of the cord, it was stuck in the center of her palm, strings twining around her fingertips and back into the glowing rope.

"What is this thing?"

Percy smiled excitedly, racing forward. He waved his hand through it, his smile growing as his hand went through, before snatching Hazel's own hand, and staring into her eyes.

"Looks like my info was right. This is the link Hazel, as physical as it's ever going to get. Now is when you have your opportunity to get rid of it."

"How?" She asked.

"You have to pull it out. It might be painful, I don't know, but if you're going to be free you have to do it. Come on, you're so close!"

Hazel looked unsure for a moment before she steeled herself and took a deep breath. When she reached for the glowing cord, her hand made contact, and she was able to wind it around her other hand. She gave it a hard yank but ended up waving her arm around lazily. She frowned angrily and started pulling hard, forcing her hands apart. She let out a pained whine, the cord going slack for a moment, but after a few deep breaths again.

Hazel started sweating, teeth gritted in concentration and pain, while the cord started glowing, the gold color turning molten. With a final anguished cry, Hazel gave a final tug, and the cord snapped out of her hand. For a split second, it stayed in her hand, the molten color growing brighter and brighter, before it dissolved, blowing away in an invisible draft.

Hazel let out a gasp of relief and stumbled back, the two of us catching her inches off the floor. Seconds later, she was asleep, eyes closed peacefully, a triumphant smile on her lips. I glanced back up at Percy.

"That was... wow."

Percy nodded. "Now that we know how this works, it'll be a whole lot easier. And besides that, look at how strong she was. She didn't even know about our world a few hours ago, and now look at her. She's going to be an amazing demigod. Come on, let's get her into bed."

Percy and I carried her back into our room. I started when I realized that the room had spontaneously grown, an entire other bed popping up out of the ground. We carried her to the new bed, Percy commenting on the new room, before heading back into the main area.

Percy grabbed a piece of paper and quickly scrawled out a message, glancing up to say "If they only stop at four and five then she hasn't slept in a while. Combined with the fun afternoon she had, I'm going to guess that she'll be out for a few hours now. Get your gear ready, we have a mission."

I glanced back at the microwave clock as Percy took the note back to our room, starting when I realized that it was already nine o'clock at night. That had taken a lot longer than expected. Percy emerged, snapping the wristwatch the Guardians had given him on the opposite wrist as his manacle, before stopping dead.

"Luke, when did we get a closet?"

I frowned and turned around. There beside the mini fridge and just before the front door, was a brand-new door. We cautiously approached, Percy bringing out Riptide in case this was an ambush and threw open the door.

"Now this is what I'm talking about," I said with a smile.

The newly created room was an enormous walk in closet. Weapons lined the walls and hung from the ceiling, armor stood ready for use, ammunition stood in neat piles, shields waited in a neat row, and a table with what looked like enchanted weaponry stood in the center of the closet. A small paper had been stabbed into the table with a knife. Upon further instruction, the ash like paper had a single message written in crazy scrawl.

"Protect my daughter, torture her tormenter, defeat my father, I'll see you in hell."

Percy and I exchanged glances. "Thank you, Uncle Pluto." Percy finally said uncomfortably. Neither of us wanted to think about the last part of that message. Could the gods give stuff like this to us? Maybe he was the one who had put in the extra bed as well.

"Come on, get suited up," Percy ordered, examining the rest of the closet.

In the end, I threw away my leather jacket in favor of lightweight armor, grabbing a shield and strapping my sword and dagger to my belt. Percy was wearing something similar when we were both done, except he had wired through headphones, carefully hiding their cord and the iPod itself in the armor, looping the earplugs carefully for later use. He didn't catch my questioning gaze, ignoring me. I gave up on why he had them, before finally giving in and asking

"So, her boss is loaded, has a gold fetish, owns a pawn shop, and has greed beyond comprehension."

"Wait you haven't figured out who it is yet?"

I shook my head, a little annoyed with myself for being out of the know.

Percy smiled smugly. "Where are my manners? It's already late, and I think it's time I introduce you to a friend of mine. Let's go see how dear King Midas is handling these days."

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it, I felt I did a pretty good job here actually (which probably means it sucked, but who cares), anyways hope you're ready, cuz next up they're getting to the fight! Anyways, as always, if you have any questions, comments, concerns, you actually like this story, or any other random thing, please READ AND REVIEW, reviews REALLY help motivation and the writing process. Anyways, thanks a lot everybody, I hope you have a great day!**

 


	7. Avarita vs Caritas

**Avaritia vs Caritas**

Luke POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, The Golden Touch Pawn Shop**

 **20** days,  **1**  hours, **2** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Odyssey Cove was practically a ghost town by the time Percy and I made our way out. After taking care of Hazel and suiting up, Percy had proceeded to use some of our remaining chalk on the door to our bedroom, as well as the window.

"We can't let the demigods get hurt at this stage. I don't know how far along the bonding process is, and if Midas kills her now, the process would continue until he gains her godly powers. Now when we get there-"

"Whoa, slow down speed racer. You're saying if the freaks go and kill off the demigods they're linked to, the whole destruction of the world thing still happens?"

Percy nodded grimly.

"If they're in the last phases of the link, then yeah. Even after death, they'll still be letting power slip back into a living host, in this case, their links. Right now, though, Midas is vulnerable. Hazel already severed her end of the bond, and when we get his end, then the bond will be broken forever. As far as the others are concerned… I don't know."

I nodded hesitantly "Ok. How exactly do we kill them now? And don't say it's complicated, honestly how hard is it to put a sword through some monster's head?"

Percy smirked a little before shaking his head. "Actually, that's basically all we have to do."

"Wait really?"

Percy nodded, then shrugged his shoulders. "This far along they might be too powerful, they'll instantly respawn if we kill them the normal way."

Percy suddenly looked uncomfortable, leaning against the wall and studying his shoes intently.

"Back when I was with Kronos, I asked the Telekhine's about the weaknesses, trying to find ways to… to protect them. There was only one thing that can really get rid of the monster on the other side of this link."

"Decapitation?" I offered.

"No."

"Stake through the heart?" That would take care of vampires at the very least.

"No."

"Looking at you?" I jeered, sheathing my sword.

"Luke…"

I chuckled, smiling innocently back at him.

"The only way to defeat them is to weaken them and force them into a Tartarus symbol."

"Tartarus has a symbol? I didn't think you could draw pure insanity."

Percy bent over the counter, scribbling a strange half circle, before moving over a few inches, sketching a strange circle, and then moving again, and again. In the end, there were six strange lines and swirls, all carefully spaced away from each other.

"That's… weird. It's going to take a while to make something like that."

Percy shook his head saying "No, you combine them all together. The problem is that the symbol is literally part of Tartarus; once it's completely assembled, whether you want one or not, you have an instant one-way portal to the deepest pit of hell, and it won't close until it has its victim."

I whistled. "Sounds like loads of fun for the whole family. Just a sec, let me check it out."

I studied the scribbles, trying to piece them all together in my head to make one symbol. Weaken the freak and then send them packing on a one-way trip to Tartarus. Not too shabby.

"Alright, seems easy enough. Any other fun surprises I should know about?"

Percy paused for a second, thinking hard. "Probably, but I can't think of anything. For now, remember who we're going up against. This is King Midas, everything he touches will turn to gold, ourselves included. Running water undoes the effect, stick close to me and we should be ok. Oh yeah, and the guys ancient, but _really_ fast."

I nodded, heading for Main Street with Percy in tow. The streets were abandoned as usual, and darkness was already thick in the air, the silence almost deafening.

I glanced back when we reached the road, watching closely as I asked: "So how do you know the old geezer?"

Percy's eyes snapped over to me, a guarded look in his eyes. I already knew the answer, but with few pieces to this whole puzzle, a confirmation was helpful.

"He supported Kronos' army financially. Sold gold to buy weapons, land, soldiers, anything. All so he could have a chance to get his 'revenge' on the gods."

We walked in silence after that, Percy staring straight ahead, eyes stormy and brooding. I wasn't used to that look. I had only seen it a few times when we were together, back in the old days. It only came out when Percy started to feel unbalanced when Percy was really on edge when there were too many things going on inside that head of his. I could still clearly remember the last time I had seen that look. What had it been, ten, eleven years ago?

We were staying in some crummy hotel by a river; Percy always slept better when he was near water. Grover was still traveling with us at that point, curled up on the couch, a half-chewed tin can in his hand, snoring loudly. Percy had been bundled up all in blue blankets, curled up beside me, staring up at the ceiling, biting his lip. His eyes had been just as moody as they were now, an ocean under dark skies, waves crashing anxiously under danger of a coming storm.

I kept tossing and turning, trying to ignore the horrible idea to see what was wrong, before finally giving in. I had sighed and sat up, glaring sleepily at the kid.

"What's up Perce?"

Percy glanced over at me uncertainly, biting his lip harder now.

"Come on, I know something's wrong. You can talk to me about it."

Percy wavered, and I took advantage of the moment, pulling him close. "Come on squirt, spit it out or else I'll start tickling you."

I poked his side threateningly and Percy let out an unintentional snort, before desperately trying to squirm away.

"No, you don't!"

I crawled after him, tackling him into the bed and attacking him, laughing as Percy started laughing uncontrollably.

"Alright, alright, I give!" Percy struggling out of my grasp, trying not to smile. I leaned back, waiting patiently. Percy's smile slowly faded, and the angst crawled back in. "I'm worried. I've been having these nightmares." Ah. That explained everything. Yet another fun perk of being as powerful as the young demigod was. He may not have been an oracle, but he was more in tune with the time than anyone I had ever met.

Percy dreamed of the past, he could see how things connected and acted, he could see what was happening in the present, he could even dream of the future sometimes. Nothing more than brief glimpses of course, but Percy only ever had nightmares when it came to the future. He only saw the pain and misery that was coming to him and people he cared about.

"Percy, why didn't you tell me? I told you, whenever you get nightmares come talk to me, we're a family. We take care of each other."

Percy looked away. "I didn't want to scare you."

Scare me? After a long pause, Percy finally gave in.

"A few days ago, I saw me. I was running; I'd been running for a long time. I was dirty again, and hungry, I looked really sick. They were chasing me. And then saw me with Riptide. I looked older, a lot older. There was blood everywhere. Blood and fire. There were monsters everywhere, all around me, but they didn't hurt me. They actually ran away from me, some even tried to make sure I was ok. They were scared of me. And then last night I saw you. It was dark. I saw you getting attacked by someone. They were really strong, you were angry, you were screaming, and then they… they…" Percy sniveled, tears starting to creep out of the corners of his eyes.

I frowned, getting up and pulling him to my chest, patting his back. "It's ok Perce, it's just a dream. You're not going to get hurt or chase, and nothing's going to happen to me. I promise."

Percy looked up at me, tears in his eyes. "My dreams come true! They stabbed you, Luke! I watched you die! I don't want to lose you!"

My heart froze for a second, fear creeping in. Percy's dreams were always uncertain sometimes and were prone to sudden change, but his nightmares were different. They almost always happened. Only once had one of Percy's nightmares come to nothing. All the others came to be. The shaking of Percy's slim body brought me back to reality, and I suddenly stopped caring. I pulled Percy into a tight hug, before pushing him away with a serious face.

"Percy."

Percy stared up at me, cheeks tearstained, shaking and sobbing uncontrollably. "It's going to be ok Percy. Do you remember what I told you when we started out together?"

Percy nodded.

"What did I say?"

Percy sniveled, rubbing at his red eyes. "You said you'd always be there to protect me. You said we were family, and family doesn't let each other get hurt, and that we'd always be there for each other."

"Yeah, that's what I said. And I swear on Styx to you that I'll keep that promise. You think anything's going to keep me away from you? Come on kid, we're invincible. Thick as thieves, we're the dynamic duo, Batman and Robin, Jughead and Archie, Siegfried and Roy, and whatever other cool partners there are out there."

Percy smiled through the tears, throwing his arms around my neck. "Thanks, Lukie."

I smiled, pulling us back down onto the bed and pulling the blanket over us. "Sleep tight kiddo."

Percy snuggled up beside me, nuzzling my neck. "I love you, Luke."

I remembered that I had smiled and kissed his forehead. "Love you too Perce."

Things really had changed between us. But what could you expect after what I had put him through? Of course, Percy's nightmares had come true; or at least I had assumed they had. I had needed a patsy to blame the loss of the god weapons on, and Percy had played the part perfectly. That would have been around the time when Percy saw himself getting chased. The monsters and blood, well I could only guess that was when he had been in Kronos' army. And as for me getting killed well… That had been a fun encounter. The fact that my father had the nerve to try and talk to me after he came and stabbed me in the back, literally… I shook my head. Memories for another time. Right now, we had a king to kill.

"You ready for this?" I asked, stopping abruptly. Percy flinched, startled eyes snapping back to me. He held my gaze for a long minute, before nodding. "Yeah."

"You sure?" Percy nodded. I shrugged my shoulders and kept walking. A long time ago I would have pushed the subject. But things had changed. We had changed. "That's all we have to do from now on, right? Figure out some way to get them to see the error in their ways and change? It's that easy?"

Percy shrugged his shoulders, still moody. "It was easy this time. Midas only got started here recently, the link hasn't had time to really grow. Everything depends on time emotions… there are way too many variables to even guess really. It hurts my head just thinking about it."

Percy came to a stop, and I looked for the reason, actually surprised to find us already out in front of Golden Touch Pawn Shop. The building stood out on the dull street, its paint bright and new, lights gleaming and shining. Golden bars blocked off the main entrance and all the windows, easily dissuading anyone from trying to break in.

"Alright Luke, you still got the gift?" Percy asked glancing at me.

I scoffed, handing him my shield and advancing towards the building. King Midas owned the place, right? Rich as hell, an embodiment of avarice. The guy wouldn't want anyone to get at his stuff, he'd have one hell of a security program up and running. Now that would keep most people out, but when your daddy's the god of thieves, no building, safe, program, or wallet is safe from us.

My eyes flickered over the building, taking everything. Motion cameras were hidden ch as on the corners of the roof and above the doorway, a laser of some kind was at ankle level in front of the door, there were panels behind the bars meant to come down in case of any real danger, some kind of nine-digit security pad on the gates, and all kinds of other mortal goodies. On the flip side, dozens of golden sigils had been inlaid, preventing thieves, stopping the gods from seeing inside, protecting gold, bringing luck, all kinds of things.

The best one though were small symbols in the wall, which, once activated, would start shooting lasers at the unfortunate victim.

"As fun as it is standing around, do you think you could, oh I don't know, do anything?"

I short Percy an unimpressed look, before flashing a smile and saying "Seventeen seconds." before charging straight towards the door.

I hadn't made it three feet before one of the laser symbols activated, and a beam of light nearly bisected me. I kept running, jumping up onto the wall and running up it, grabbing a flagpole and throwing myself onto the roof. Thirteen seconds before the alarms went off and the laser symbols activated, slicing me into sushi and calling in every monster for miles around. I ran to the edge of the room, pulling out my knife and dragging it through several symbols, the magic in the dissolving instantly. Ten seconds.

I threw myself back off the room, landing with cat-like grace, running to the door. I ducked under several more laser blasts, stabbing my knife into the keypad and twisting, before hitting enter. The machine gave a feeble beep before the gate clicked open. Six seconds. Regular keyhole. Not enough time to pick it, knife still stuck in the keypad, most likely solidly enforced to prevent being broken through. I ripped into my pocket, digging around desperately until I pulled out my enchanted Master Key. Two seconds. I stuck it in the keyhole and twisted hard.

Several clicks sounded, and I flung open the door. A small bell above the door started to chime until I grabbed it, silencing the sound and slammed my hand above the doorframe. An invisible symbol flared to life, and I gave a sigh of relief. There were too many symbols around here to activate personally, the only safe way to do it would be to have a single symbol controlling all the others. And what better place than just above the door, on the side where no one could get to it, and no one would think to look?

I made a grand arm flourish to Percy, waving him in with a smug grin. Percy rolled his eyes, a faint smile on his lips as he passed me. The inside of the shop strangely lacked any type of security. There weren't any cameras, there were no symbols, nothing. The man had wasted untold amounts of money on nothing. The shop itself was immaculate and organized, not a speck of dust anywhere, everything carefully set up and shined to perfection.

Antiques and strange objects were placed around the room, meant to astound and amaze. In the room beside ours, gold was lying around everywhere. It was in display cases, it was on pedestals, it was hanging from the ceiling. I gave a whistle, my mind instinctively calculating how much money I could make from a quick taste. Gold was worth what now, around forty bucks a gram? I glanced around the room again. It may not be as much of a cash in as the god weapons, but it would still make a very nice instant retirement cushion.

"Luke!" Percy whispered, motioning for me to follow.

I looked longingly back at the money, before reluctantly following after Percy. The gold would still be there after we defeated the king. Percy made his way to the back of the store, jumping behind the glass counter and heading through the doorway. The lights were turned on as we went through, coming out into a luxurious room. Priceless antiques lined the walls, paintings of gods, goddesses, heroes and monsters, sculptures and wardrobes, weapons of every shape and size.

What looked to be a solid gold piano was at the end of a hallway into another room, but Percy went a different way. A voice muttered to itself as I followed Percy, counting then recounting again and again before Percy stopped in front of an open doorway. In front of us was a study with a roaring fireplace studded with jewels, and, sitting with his back to us at a huge table of glistening gold stained wood, was an old man in a nightgown.

Percy went left and I went right, cutting off any escape, and stepping up beside the old man's chair. Riptide shined in the firelight, and the next second was pressed against the old king's throat. Midas stopped muttering. He looked up, eyes wide, staring at us with surprise, before grinning slyly at Percy. He really was an old man, covered in wrinkles and gray hair, what was left of his hair hidden underneath a long nightcap. His eyes were gold, like Hazels, but didn't seem as rich or shiny, coming off as fanatic and crazed.

"Perseus!" He exclaimed, his voice oily and soft "What a dreadful surprise! I heard a rumor you died. I had been so hopeful it was true."

Percy gave a shrug. "I did. And it's Percy, thanks. You're looking good, get another face lift?"

Midas let out a chuckle, shrugging his shoulders. "When you're as old as I am, it's ok to splurge and make yourself look young again every century or so. What about you my dear boy, any exciting escapades? Killed any poor, innocent children lately? Played the fun assassin role? And who is our thief here? A Son of Hermes if ever I saw one."

Percy pursed his lips, smiling brightly, digging Riptide into the king's throat. "I've been good thanks for asking. And yeah, this is Luke my… acquaintance." Percy glanced up at the pause, eyes searching my face before glancing back to Midas.

Acquaintance? We had gone from trying to kill each other, to acquaintances? I shook my head, there was no use thinking about it. Percy had a strange sense of morals and loyalties; give it a few hours and we'll try and kill each other again.

"I gotta be honest here, I kind of expected a little more Midas. Minimal security, closed off shop with only one escape route; you didn't even know we were coming."

A flash of understanding went through Midas' eyes and he straightened in his chair, his look growing serious.

"Shall we drop the formalities? Feigning pleasantries for you hellions is aggravating, and we both know why you're here. It won't be long before Kronos knows as well. What do you hope to accomplish by killing me? You can't sever the bonds of power we hold."

Percy smiled darkly. "We already severed your bond. And I knew we could count on you Midas. I still wasn't sure if I should expect Kronos to come charging in, but thanks to you, I know he doesn't even know we're here."

Midas frowned, becoming all business. "You think you're quite clever, don't you Perseus?"

Midas stood up, pushing Riptide away from his throat, making his way towards the fireplace. Golden sparks danced across the blade, tinging the bronze gold before the sparks vanished, Riptides glow shining stronger than ever.

"Yes, a demigod alpha blade. I remember the heroes in the past who've wielded it, I know its power, and more importantly, I know yours. Run now while you still have the opportunity, and you may survive longer than your pathetic gods. You have no idea what I am capable of."

I couldn't help but let out a laugh, startling Percy and Midas.

"You're going up against two of the most infamous demigods of our generation, demigods with powers and skills you could never have. What can you do, turn things into gold? You think that's going to stop us?"

Midas cackled. "Yes, your precious demigod abilities. I know all about them. Did you know that from that wonderful Bond we have with our little demigod friends, that we actually are able to drain away some of that incredible power they have?"

Midas suddenly clenched his teeth, slowly moving his arms forward. The gold and jewels that had decorated the fireplace wrenched themselves free of the stone, hovering in the air around the king, orbiting slowly in a dizzying pattern.

Percy and I took an uncertain step back as Midas smiled darkly at us, the minerals starting to spin around him at a whirlwind rate.

"You think you can defeat me? Me, a veritable maelstrom of avarice!"

Midas punched at the air towards us, and the precious stones flew through the air like bullets. I lifted my shield in time to block the high-speed projectiles, flinching as the banged off the shield, denting it in with each blow.

I glanced over at Percy, suddenly scared, realizing that he didn't have a shield, only to see one had magically appeared on his arm in place of his wristwatch. It took me a whole other second to realize that the watch had been the shield. It was beautifully made, carved with a strange series of pictures I couldn't make out, and didn't have the time to anyway. The barrage stopped, and I lowered my shield in time to see Midas throwing open a wall, running through into a secret passage.

Music suddenly blared beside me, and I flinched, watching as Percy stuffed his headphones into his ears, the music still clearly audible, before charging after him at a breakneck pace with me hot in pursuit. The passage ended up turning into a metal stairway, going directly beneath the shop, and I stopped in shock as I looked around. We were in some kind of huge basement, stretching down into the darkness. There were various levels, some concrete, some metal, all supported above the great maw leading down, and all stacked up with shelves jam-packed with gold.

I caught movement out of the corner of my eye, and leaped down the last few stairs, running after Midas. I twisted through onto the first level of the basement, rushing past the first few stacks. I was going too fast I nearly ran into Midas, barely managing to avoid his swipe at my head. I stumbled back, crawling desperately as the old man slapped at me, trying to catch me. I swiped my sword at him, only for him to jump just out of reach, tapping it mid swing. There was a surge of gold, and the sword fell to the ground, the sudden imbalance of the weapon forcing it out of my hand. Damn Percy was right, he was fast.

I rolled over, flipping back to my feet and drawing my knife, making a desperate slice at the old man, calling "Percy!"

Midas sidestepped out of reach, before striking like a cobra.

"Lights out," Midas sang as the world stopped.

I don't know how long it went on; me being turned to gold. I couldn't think, couldn't feel, I couldn't do anything.

The next thing I remembered was gasping for breath, cold water rushing over me, before falling to the ground. I felt like I had been run over by a train, and my head was ringing worse than a hangover. I forced myself up, shivering thanks to the soaking I had received. I heard clinks and clangs somewhere, and looked around, surprised to see a gaping hole in the floor, large chunks of concrete debris lying around. It looked like Midas had tried to make himself an escape route, only for Percy to catch him. I struggled over to the hole, still feeling weak.

Percy was standing in the center of a whirlwind of stone and gold, sword and shield blurring effortlessly around, blocking the blows that came from all directions, while Midas stood a few feet away, forcing more and more into the construct. I grabbed my knife and threw myself down, landing with a sick thump.

I forced myself to balance, before throwing my knife with all my might at Midas. The old man barely got out of the way in time, the blade catching his nightcap and sticking it to the wall. I stared at the old man for a second, before bursting out in laughter; the old man had donkey ears. Midas growled, and I heard the whirlwind stop as he changed his attention to me, charging forward, and arms outstretched. I froze in horror, still too dizzy and sick to move, watching as he got closer and closer.

He was only a foot away when a geyser of water collided with him, launching the old man through the air and into one of the support beams. He fell to the floor, eyes rolling and his hands slapping aimlessly around. Both the pillar and the floor suddenly groaned, gold spreading up them, trying desperately to support the sudden weight increase. Percy rushed forward, sword raised, while I straightened myself. I fell back down, a sudden dizzy spell taking over.

I groaned, only to hear a moaning reply and a crack from beside me. A chunk of concrete fell from above, cracking the already struggling floor. Another came down, crashing into a shelf full of gold. The shelf teetered back and forth, and my heart leaped into my throat as I realized that it was about to come down on top of me.

"Percy!" I called desperately, trying to crawl away.

Percy was still fighting a newly revived Midas, completely oblivious to my position thanks to his blaring headphones. With a deep breath, I rolled to the side, calling on every ounce of strength I had. The shelf crashed down, its edge actually touching the tip of my nose. I breathed a sigh of relief, before giving a reproachful glance at Percy. Stupid headphones, stupid demigod, stupid Percy!

I had nearly been crushed, and the idiot wouldn't even have known. My anger died out suddenly as another shelf fell, and the floor finally gave away, large golden chunks falling away. Midas fell through to a lower floor, Percy back flipping safely away while the whole building shook, the support beams starting to give way. Percy fell back, breathing hard, eyes slightly crossed, a large red bump on his forehead. I managed to get up, walking over, momentarily pushing away my anger.

I pulled out one of his headphones saying "You ok there kiddo?"

"Peachy Lukie…" Percy murmured, trying to stand only to fall back down.

I walked to the edge of one hole Midas had fallen through, smiling when I saw him. The old man was already up again, bleeding and battered, trying to escape, but was stuck, his leg and nightgown stuck under a chunk of steel and concrete.

Not much time before he freed himself, but I didn't need much time. I looked around, spotting a chunk of gold the size of a small boulder. I went to work, wrenching my knife free from the pillar it had been embedded in, and quickly starting to trace the symbol Percy had shown me.

"Be careful!" Percy cried, wobbling awkwardly in one direction.

"Come on grab it, help me!" I ordered. Percy diligently obeyed, helping me lift the gold chunk and take it towards the hole. "Wait right there and when I saw now, let it go!"

Percy nodded, and I glancing back down to where Midas was almost free. I scratched in the last few pieces of the symbol, smiling in victory. My head exploded in pain, my sanity trying to tear itself apart as the symbol suddenly glowed bright, fear, hate, and death filling me as I stared into a brief incarnation of Tartarus itself.

"Luke!" Percy shouted.

I tried to listen, but I couldn't help but look, watching as the symbol suddenly started to blur together, a whirling vortex appearing in the center. Dust and small pebbles started getting sucked in, the smell of brimstone, blood, and darkness filling my nostrils. Percy let the tablet fall, shaking me roughly yelling "Luke! Come back to me dammit!"

I managed to suddenly focus again, staring into those scared sea green eyes. Scared because we could die? Scared because we had an active portal to Tartarus itself next to us, hungrily sucking things in? Or scared because he knew that I was about to let myself go, to give in and let Tartarus have me. He couldn't be scared of losing me. Not after what I had done to him. Dark light started coming from the golden slab, and I focused again, grabbing the edges and throwing it through the hole at Midas.

"Hey, donkey ears!"

Midas glared up face screwed up in rage and pain, before instantly turning to horror. I heard a panicked scream fill the air a second before the debris hit him, the scream instantly cut off. I gasped as a horrible tug went off inside me, feeling like the life was being sucked right out of me, before a sudden yellow strand suddenly materialized, zipping through the air, before coiling around me and sinking in, vanishing in a blink of light.

I didn't have time to worry about what had happened, because the next second, the golden portal exploded with light, and Percy and I were launched up into the darkness, heading back towards the room, trying to become pancakes once again.

Debris saved us, the explosion ripping a whole into the real basement, allowing us to soar up, before falling back down, gratefully away from the brand-new hole in the ground. Percy and I coughed and spluttered, dust thick in the air, the building above collapsed, the basement around us ruined. We managed to heave ourselves up, looking around in the darkness for a way out.

"Did we do it?" I asked, coughing hard, trying to breathe again.

Percy tried to respond, only to hack up a lung, struggling to even think about breathing, instead opting to give me a thumbs up and an attempted smile. I gave my best victory shout, before trying to make my way towards a doorway, trying to get out of this deathtrap. I had to force the door open, debris was blocking it. The entire shop above us had seemingly imploded while we were below, nothing remaining of the shop except for skeletal ruins and crushed antiques.

I made my way out into the open, taking a deep breath, smiling triumphantly as I glanced around. Percy followed suit, actually jumping up and down. "We did it!" He shouted up at the sky, a proud smile on his face. I watched as he closed his eyes, still smiling, fingering the trident symbol on his manacle. Probably some lame prayer to his dad no doubt.

I gave a grunt of disinterest, smiling myself over our triumph before a sudden thought hit me. I whipped around, eyes flashing through the ruins, smile vanishing. I raced to the side, desperately digging through the stone and junk, clawing through useless trash.

"What's wrong Luke?"

"The gold, where's the gold? The room was full of it, did some lucky bastard already get to it?"

"Luke, everything gold Midas made is probably gone. His greed isn't here anymore, the magic's gone."

I froze before slowly looking up at the sky. I could already hear the gods laughing, smiling mischievously at me and my continued misfortune. For a second, I even saw one of the stars above blink, almost as if someone up there was winking me, mocking my loss.

"Screw you," I muttered turning away.

Percy just laughed. "We did good Luke. You did good."

* * *

**Yeah, so um... Here's a chapter! Yeah it wasn't great, but it's something! Yeah, I can't even feel good about it. Ok, so hope you enjoyed, please read and review, if you have comments, questions, or concerns, don't be afraid to ask, I love when people like what I do, it helps the quality of the work and definitely helps moral. Hope you liked it! Good morning/afternoon/night!**


	8. Bad Omens

**Own Percy Jackson, I do not, wish though, I do**

* * *

 

**Bad Omens**

Nico POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, The Golden Touch Pawn Shop Ruins**

 **19** days,  **23**  hours, **47** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

I was perched on the edge of the roof, shrouded in shadows. The wind was cold and sharp, biting at any scrap of skin it could find, whipping its fingers through my dark mane. I pulled my aviator jacket closer, glaring across the street, waiting.  _He_  had gone in there a little while ago with his blonde lackey at his side.

There had been crashes and explosions, an earsplitting boom, followed by a sharp tug in my gut as something dark and Underwordly occurred in the depths. The pawn shop had collapsed in on itself, but I knew that wouldn't stop him from coming back. Almost on cue, I saw movement in the rubble.

I leaned forward, ignoring the dizzying drop below, watching as the blonde pushed open a door to the now exposed basement, moving debris out of the way and struggling to make it to the surface.  _He_  was right behind him. I heard them laugh before the blonde whined, yelling nonsense about lost gold, earning laughter from my nemesis.

I had no idea what he was doing here, or what he had really done down below; it didn't matter. I had been waiting six years for this, for the time when he'd come back into my life. Six years I had been waiting to get my revenge. He was weak now, vulnerable. Tonight, wasn't the time though. I had been waiting for an eternity. I'd wait a little longer.

My Hero would die on my terms, and only after I was good and ready. I heard them mention getting back to my cousin, Hazel, and let out an unintentional growl. Hazel was with them, working with the enemy. Fine, I didn't need her anyway. I willed the shadows around me, and the darkness instantly swallowed me up. The next second the shadows faded away, and I was standing in the middle of an abandoned barn. I had found the desolate building on the outskirts of town, close enough to give a damn, far enough away not to care.

The building was falling apart, but I had turned it into my makeshift lair. I kept my sword here; a stygian iron blade, black as pitch and cold as ice. It had just appeared under my bed one day, no note, no explanation, nothing. It stayed here because the Levesque's, my legal guardians, didn't exactly approve. Not that I really cared. The only reason I stayed in that wreck was to be with Hazel. When I was with her, it was almost as though I had Bianca back.

And now that she had turned traitor, it looked like I was back on my own. At least here I could practice my powers and train without distractions. The last six years hadn't been easy for me. Nobody believed me when I said my sister had been turned into a statue and that my school had been blown up by monsters and a two-faced traitor. I had been picked up by social services and shipped off to live with my closest relatives, Hazel's family.

I loved Hazel instantly even if it wasn't easy living with around her mother. The family was dirt poor, barely scraping by at best. I had found my powers during that time, my connection to the dead, my power over the shadows.

Six years I had spent, digging into the past of Percy Jackson, trying to find out where he was, why he had been at my school, and trying to find a way to get at him. A low growl came from the other side of the room, and I smiled, patting my leg and whistling. A monster of a hellhound emerged from the shadows, eyes narrowed, fangs bared, hair raised.

"Down O'Leary," I ordered.

The huge hellhound eyed me for a few seconds, before slowly lowering itself to the ground. I walked over to the wall, opening up a closed wooden panel. Photos and newspapers were congregated onto it, all of Perseus. Everything I had learned about him, what he did, where he came from, what he had done before I met him. It was more pictures and half-baked speculation than anything else, but it was better than nothing.

There were mementos here too. A burned book I had rescued from Westover, an artifact from a time when I was happy, and a Ouija Board. A reminder of the sister I couldn’t talk to, and a tacky conversation piece Hazel used to laugh at.

I grabbed a picture of my smiling hero, stalking back to the hound. It had taken a lot to find a killer monster to work for me, let alone train it. In the end, I had succeeded. I reached into my pocket, pulling out my prize possession, a picture of Bianca and me together at the Maine Day Fair.

I held it up, showing it to Mrs. O'Leary. The Hellhound panted loudly, showing no emotion. I carefully tucked the picture away and then held up the smiling Perseus. Mrs. O'Leary growled, hate burning in her eyes, fangs gnashing angrily.

"Kill," I ordered, tossing the picture away.

Mrs. O'Leary gave a vicious bark, bounding after it, ripping the paper to shreds. "Good girl."

I murmured, making my way to the back of the barn to a makeshift bed at the back. It was late, and I had lost enough sleep watching and waiting for Perseus to get here. I was almost there when a sudden wave of nausea struck, and I struggled to stay upright.

I took a few steps, darkness clawing at my vision, before I collapsed forward onto the bed, nausea overtaking everything else and the darkness taking over. I curled into a ball, forcing my hands over my eyes, trying to alleviate the pain.

After a few minutes, the pain faded away, and I started, realizing that I was wet. There was a constant boom of thunder up above, and water cascaded down onto me. I frowned, knowing that I had fixed the roof ages ago, and managed to open my eyes. I wasn't in my lair anymore. I was in a dark alley, surrounded by enormous buildings.

The sky was dark and stormy, rain barreling down, lightning and thunder playing around in the air. I walked down to the end of the alley cautiously, trying to ignore my wet clothes and freezing skin, instead of trying to figure out what was going on. The streets around me were abandoned and quiet, the area feeling deserted and desolate.

I tried to shadow travel back, except the shadows ignored my call. I glanced around again, my eyes snapping to the enormous building in the distance; the empire state building. How had I gotten to New York? A powerful roar came from somewhere in the distance, and I whipped around, hand reaching instinctively to my belt, only to realize with a start that my blade wasn't there.

Footsteps sounded suddenly close, and I whirled around to see a woman dashing towards me, a young boy in her eyes. They looked tired and dirty, their clothes in shambles, a well-worn rain poncho covering them both.

The woman was breathing heavily, and as she got closer, she stumbled, falling to the ground. I flinched as they hit the ground, the woman turning around to take the brunt of the fall, crying out as her and the kid gave a cry of pain.

The hood of the poncho was thrown off, revealing a messy mop of brown hair and terrified blue eyes. The kid struggled to his feet, his own hood thrown off, ebony hair soaked, his whole body shivering as he helped the woman up.

"I'm scared, mommy." The boy whispered, shaking more than ever now.

The woman gave the boy a heartbroken look, before smiling gently and putting her hands on the boy's shoulders, looking at him lovingly.

"It's going to be ok Percy, I promise. We need to keep moving baby."

Percy? No, that couldn't be… My train of thought derailed as the little boy turned around, big sea green eyes looking around the deserted street. It was him. It was Perseus. A young Perseus, but him nevertheless. What was going on? The young Perseus nodded, grabbing his mother's hand and tugging her along, the two desperately trying to get away. Another roar erupted, this time only a few buildings away.

The woman glanced around, eyes looking desperate, tears coming from her eyes. She suddenly turned away, taking Perseus towards me, down the alley. As soon as she was out of sight, she kneeled down, looking Perseus in the eye.

"Percy, baby, I need you to listen to me. You know mommy loves you right?"

Perseus nodded slowly. The woman let out an unintentional sob, and the young boy frowned. "What's wrong mama?"

The woman rubbed the tears out of her eyes, only for them to instantly reappear, combining with the raindrops.

"Well sweetie, I need you to listen to me very carefully. You know the river? The one just down the road? Well, I need you to go there. I want you to go as fast as you can, don't stop until you get there. Once you get to the river, say your name and say that your mommy is… is… Say that your mommy sent you there and that it's important. Say that you need to see your daddy and throw this in the water, ok?"

The woman pulled a bleached sand dollar out of her pocket and carefully put it in the boy's front pocket.

"What about you mommy? Don't you want to come with me? Am I really gonna meet daddy for real?"

The woman tried to smile through the tears. "Of course, I want to come with you darling. And yeah, I would love to introduce you to your daddy. You need to go. Tell me what I told you to do."

Perseus frowned, before slowly repeating the instructions that his mother had given him. "But mama, I don't want to leave you! You need to come with me!"

The woman shook her head. "I can't sweetie. I have to make sure you get there. I need you to run, and I need to make sure you're safe. If I go with you, you won't be safe. Please, Percy."

Perseus started to cry. A roar, closer than ever sounded, and the kid broke into hysterics. The woman pulled him close, whispering a lullaby, looking as though she never wanted to let the boy go. After a few seconds, she pulled away, pulling up the boy's chin.

"No more crying ok. You're my brave boy, my little hero. Do you know why I named you Perseus?" The boy shook his head. "Because Perseus was a hero who had a happy ending. And that's what you're going to have Percy. You're going to be the best hero ever, you're going to make me proud, and you're going to have a happy ending. And do you know how heroes act? They're brave and loyal, they're strong and they care for others, they do the best they can, and so much more. And right now, I need you to be brave Percy. I need you to run."

Perseus stared into his mother's eyes for a long moment, still teary eyed, before nodding his head.

"I love you, mommy." He said, throwing his arms around her.

The woman laughed, her whole body trembling as she held the boy tightly. "I love you too baby. I love you so, so much. Never forget that. I'll always be with you, no matter what." Ground shaking footsteps approached, and the woman quickly stood up.

"Go now!" She ordered.

Perseus hesitated, eyes uncertain before his mother repeated the order and the boy ran off down the alley. The woman watched her son run away, before turning back to the alley, putting on a brave face, anger, and determination seeping out of her.

She raced towards the front of the alley, emerging at the mouth of and waving her arms shouting "Hey! Come and get me!"

With that she whirled around, sprinting down the street. Seconds later a huge horned blur raced by, quickly gaining. I heard the woman still shouting, and then fast footfalls behind me. I turned back to see the young Perseus running as fast as his little legs could carry him, running back to his mother, face a mask of determination and courage.

I trailed along after him, morbid curiosity making me want to know what was happening. I had no clue as to what was going on, but there was undoubtedly one person with all the answers. Up ahead I saw Perseus chasing whatever monster was chasing his mother into an alley, followed by a loud, piercing scream.

I got there at the same time was Perseus, watching as the beast stood over the now still body of Perseus' mother, roaring with rage. A bull's head with gruesome, curving horns, a thick chest, and arms, huge hands, all covered in dark brown fur, a brown tail angrily flicking back and forth stomping huge black hooves into the ground, cracking the cement. The Minotaur.

"Mom!" Perseus cried out, eyes staring horrified at his mother's still form.

The Minotaur turned around, a ring in its nose flaring as it sniffed the air, what could be called a smile coming to its freakish lips as it zeroed in on the boy. I honestly couldn't believe it when the kid gave an angry cry, charging forward recklessly. The Minotaur did the same, horns lowered, charging at breakneck speed. Perseus somehow managed to duck under the beast, almost getting squished by its great hooves, and racing towards his mother.

The Minotaur screeched to a halt, stumbling into a wall, earning a small boom as it collided, cracking the bricks. Perseus was still hunched over his mother when the monster charged again. Perseus pushed his mother out of the way and then threw himself to the side, a fierce look on his face.

"I'm not scared of you!" He shouted, standing defiantly as the Minotaur collided with another wall.

This time the beast was smart. When Perseus ducked to the side, one of the monsters flailing arms caught him, throwing him into the wall ahead of it. He hit the wall, pushing himself up with a cry of pain, falling down as the monster reached him, its horns stabbing into the wall where the kid had been standing.

I swear this kid had more pure luck than anyone I had ever met. The Minotaur made a great effort to get itself out, only to snap one of its horns off in the process. The horn hung loosely on the wall, before falling to the ground beside Perseus. Perseus stared at it as the Minotaur gave a truly furious roar and came at him. This time the boy was ready. He grabbed the torn off horn, bracing himself against the wall, and waited. Second, before impact, he did the stupidest thing I had ever seen.

He pushed himself away, keeping the horn high above his head as the beast came less than a foot away, before letting go, diving out of the way. The Minotaur impaled itself on its own horn, and reeled backward, clutching at its heart, where the horn was currently dug in, only the very end of it still visible.

A second later, the beast vanished in an explosion of golden dust, the broken horn falling to the ground. Perseus stared at it, breathing hard. He had a long scrape across his forehead, and bruises were already starting to blossom on his pale skin. He scooped up the horn, studying it with a puzzled expression, before looking around warily. His eyes suddenly found his mom again, and he dropped the horn, diving towards her.

"Mommy it's ok now, there's no more monster." His mother didn't respond. I didn't need to be a son of Hades to know why. I looked away as the young Perseus looked uncomprehendingly at his mother, and worried, confused look straining his face.

"Mommy it's ok, you can wake up now."

I turned away as realization started to sink in.

"Mommy come on, wake up! Wake up, mommy! Mama!"

"Whatever this is, make it stop," I whispered.

I closed my eyes as I heard Perseus scream, a frightened, pathetic cries, full of innocence and confusion, blotting out the sound of the rain and thunder. When I opened my eyes, I was lying on the floor in my lair. Mrs. O'Leary was curled around me, her warm fur good against my perfectly dry clothes. I jumped up, whipping around, making sure I was back where I was supposed to be. Mrs. O'Leary gave me a worried look, and I patted her head.

"I'm fine. I'm not going crazy. It's just demigod stuff. It's ok." I whispered. Although the more I thought about it, the more unsure I was as to who I was trying to convince; Mrs. O'Leary, or me.

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Kronos POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Mt. Othrys**

 **19** days,  **23**  hours, **47** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

I felt the instant when two stars fell from the sky and crashed into my domain. Whispers of newcomers in town should have been the tipoff, but I had been blind, to shortsighted with my plan to pay attention. In my arrogance, Midas and Hazel had been lost to me. Their shattered bond had splintered out into the world, a warning to all as Midas was sacrificed to Tartarus, his power drained, his body broken. A shame to be true, though no major loss. The weakest link was gone. Still, that someone could break a link of power…

To do that would require considerable knowledge of the creation and theory of such links, insight only five other beings possessed. Four of them were Telekhines, the fifth was a demigod. This epiphany rocked my game to its very core. My dear Perseus Jackson, my most loyal soldier had returned to raise Cain? I watched as he and another crawled out of the rubble of the usurped king's prior home, a pale headed youth. Luke Castellan, Lightning Thief and the self-proclaimed 'King of Thieves'.

Both absconded from the world by the gods, two Fallen warriors. I didn't fight the grin that creaked across my skull. This was the god's attempt to stop me? A Moirai Trial? Oh, this would be fun. In my mind's eye, I saw everything; I witnessed the meeting of the gods, the Oracle's prophecy, the bringing of two champions for the Trial.

My laughter boomed through the halls of Mount Othrys as I heard every detail, peaking at what hand the Fates had dealt them. Despite all their power and wisdom, they lacked on crucial detail, the secret that would send everything spinning out of control.

This Moirai Trial would never be come to fruition. When the end fell upon us, I would have my greatest accomplice return to my side, my treacherous children would fall, and the new Golden Age of the Titans would be ushered in. For now, however, it was time to send a message. A small token to welcome my guests, a greeting to my favorite demigod and his companion.

"Empousa!"

One of the fiery haired vixens bowed beside my throne, voice laced with adoration. "Yes, my Lord?"

"The Titans Wrath has returned, as has the King of Thieves. Their dearest friends would love to have a reunion; make it so."

Nodding fervently, the wench ran from his presence, metal leg clanging loudly. I sat back on my throne, bringing up a golden image of Perseus.

"Soon," I whispered smiling.

**I feel really good about this one, a little sad. If you have no idea what's going on at this point, then you'll fit right in, but I truly hope you enjoy, so please read, review, comment, critique, anything! And yeah, I realize that Nico seems a little dark and one tracked than he's usually portrayed with, but that's just the point he's at, at this moment, we still have a whole lot of story to go through and he becomes much more 3-dimensional. Anyways, hope you enjoyed, arrivederci!**

 


	9. The (Not) So Subtle Art Of Interrogation

**The (Not So) Subtle Art of Interrogation**

Luke POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, The Shoebox**

 **19**  days,  **17**  hours,  **56**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

"My gosh, Hazel I love you!" Percy exclaimed, charging out towards the kitchen.

Hazel giggled, glancing back and motioning me forward. Percy and I had finally stumbled back home late last night almost early this morning, before collapsing onto our beds, bone dead. Sure, we had only fought one guy last night, but while our bodies were held perfectly in stasis, our minds were not.

I still couldn't believe how much effort it had actually taken to get the old man to kick the bucket, it was ridiculous. I hadn't felt this tired since I took on a whole platoon of Dracaena single-handed. Waking up to the smell of eggs, hash browns, bacon, and French toast had been a very welcome surprise. Hazel had come in, smiling and saying that her 'heroes' deserved a victory breakfast.

"I felt different yesterday" Hazel confessed as we made our way out "I felt like I had was full of lead, always sinking down. But now? This morning I woke up and it's like everything's shiny and new, everything that's been holding me down doesn't matter anymore because I have you guys. And for the first time in forever, I feel… I feel free. I feel safe. Thank you."

I tried to throw on my regular façade, but it fell short. Her heroes? Us? The manipulative, silver-tongued master thief and the psychopathic traitor with an obsession for all things blue? I wanted to call her out on it, but the bright glow in those golden eyes of hers crushed any thought of it.

"Percy! Save some for us!" Hazel complained, heading for the counter.

Percy had piled up his plate with heaps of hash browns, stacks of eggs, handfuls of bacon, and seven pieces of French toast, drowned in thick deep blue blueberry syrup. He looked up guiltily as Hazel came around, looking like a kid caught stealing from the cookie jar. I rolled my eyes, quickly going after what was left of our victory breakfast. I had picked up a plastic fork when Percy let out a gasp, plate falling to the ground and grabbing at the counter for support.

"Percy! What's-"

I never finished, a sudden gut-wrenching twist sending me reeling, an echoing hissing filling my ears. My scar burned with poison, the same way it had when my monster so graciously marked me. For a split second, multiple pairs of yellow, snake-like eyes flashed in my head, all looking directly at me.

Hazel was rushing back and forth trying to find a way to help, but I ignored her looking over at Percy. Our gazes locked a grim understanding traveling between us. Our Banes were coming. Our wonderfully short time of anonymity here was over. This was the only warning we were going to get. Hazel's voice finally cut through, full of concern and fear.

"What's happening? Guys!"

Percy was the first to snap out of it. "Nothing we can worry about right now. Bigger fish to fry." He may have been talking to Hazel, but the message was directed at me.

"But what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, and it can only happen once. Some old friends promising to visit us. Soon. I'll explain later."

Hazel frowned, clearly wanting to pursue the matter, but sighed and gave in. Percy started cleaning up his lost meal and Hazel started dishing up. I leaned against the counter, flipping my fork over my hand, lost in thought. Things had been relatively easy so far, no monster attacks, recon. The only actual threat we had encountered had been Midas.

But that explosion last night put our cards on the table, the enemy knew what we were up to. Our Banes hadn't responded when we first landed. And now they were coming, along with every defense Kronos could throw at us. Percy finished wiping up the floor, grabbing chairs for the three of us.

Alright, Greed's gone, that still leaves six more sins, six demigods, and six very angry uglies to take care of." Percy went through the facts as he dished himself up a more minute meal. "We'll head out to the club while the Siren's taking her break, try and figure out who we get to next."

"How long do you have?"

"A little under three weeks. And you were one of the easy ones" I replied, before turning back to Percy "Speaking of which, you said Haze's bond got made, but he already had some of her powers. Are the next going to be just as fun?"

Percy shrugged. "Yep. It's going to be all kinds of fun."

Hazel's eyes widened eagerly. "Wait he had my powers? What could he do, what can I do?"

"Well you'd make a fantastic metal detector," I said, earning a smirk from Percy. "Nah, it looks like you've got mineral manipulation, the old guy was throwing gems and gold around like it was nothing."

Faster than I could see, Hazel pulled off one of her golden earrings, throwing it down on the table and staring at it intently. Percy and I exchanged an amused glance before sitting back and enjoying the look on her face. Man, I wish I had a camera, her eyes were bugging out of her head as she stared at the earring, trying to get it to move.

 _Should I tell her_? Percy tapped. I looked back fondly at Hazel, before shaking my head tapping back _Wait a bit longer_. Hazel's cheeks puffed up, holding her breath with the effort. I could practically feel her willing it to move with all her might; that or she was trying to lay a very large egg.

Finally, Hazel let out a huge breath, sagging backward. I tried to play nice and say great job, but in the end, all that came out was a stream of uncontrollable laughter. Hazel frowned angrily across the table at me while Percy tried to stifle a smile.

"Haze, it takes a long time before you can actually use your powers when you want to. You only found out about them, give it a little time. Right now, I think the only thing that'll activate them is a really strong emotion. Besides, there's a lot of cool stuff about being a demigod apart from the superpowers."

"But the powers are the best part." I threw in, earning a disapproving look from Percy, his look very clearly stating that I wasn't helping the problem.

"But what about Midas? You said my bond, link thing only happened a little while ago, doesn't that mean I should be able to as well?"

"Midas is a couple hundred years older than you Haze, he has a few tricks when it comes to power. But who knows, once I found out about my powers I had them up and working in less than a week."

The comment stirred up a memory and I laughed; "Oh yeah, I forgot about that! Didn't you blow up a bathroom?"

Percy blushed while Hazel let out a guffaw of laughter.

"Really?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I remember it was before I met him. My gods, you know those jokes where they have the priest, rabbi, and minister walks into a bar? So, a stripper, a herd of carnivorous sheep, a sphinx, and Percy walk into a bathroom, and-" Percy kicked me underneath the table, his blush painting his cheeks bright red with blue tints.

"The point of the story," He said quickly, glaring daggers over at me "Is that you can get your powers anytime, all you have to do is believe in yourself and keep trying, ok?"

Hazel nodded, before leaning over to me and whispering "Tell me the rest of the story later?"

"Absolutely," I whispered back, winking at Percy.

Percy face palmed as Hazel and I laughed. "You guys were fighting last night; can you teach me?"

Business mode snapped in, a blunt 'no' instantly coming to my lips. But it was too late, and Hazel hadn't been asking me.

"Sure, we'll start right after breakfast." Percy smiled supportively "You'll be the new Hero of Olympus in no time."

Hazel beamed happily and I frowned, starting to flip my fork again. Like I had said, we barely had three weeks to defeat the sins, save the demigods, and beat the all-powerful king of the titans. It had taken the gods ages to defeat their father and his allies, and we didn't even have a quarter of their powers. We did not have time to waste training a rookie who probably wasn't even going to be combat ready for months.

I squeezed the fork, wanting to snap the feeble plastic to get rid of all this pent-up angst, but it didn't snap. In fact, it's cool metallic surface bit back. I let go, gawking down at my solid gold fork.

"What the hell…?"

Was Midas getting his revenge on me from beyond the grave? My fingers brushed past my breakfast plate, and I watched in shock and confusion as the plate suddenly took on a golden tone.

"What the hell!" I said, pushing away from the table.

"Huh, guess I was right."

I glanced up at Percy in confusion. He and Hazel were studying me; well more specifically my fork and plate.

"Right about what? Did Midas curse me?"

Percy shook his head, hesitated, then nodded.

"Back when I was… um…" He glanced over at Hazel, obviously uncomfortable about telling his new playmate about his colorful past "Back when they were making the links and the possibility of destroying them, I asked what would happen if they were broken because if they were damaged, all that power going between the victims had to go somewhere. Power has to have a home, and it goes to whoever broke the link because it's not connected to either victim after it's been severed. I wasn't sure though, I thought I'd wait and see."

"Wait and see? We definitely would have seen when I gave Hazel a high five or if I'd have pet a dog! Come on over here and let's find out if your right, how about a hug for your old buddy?"

I didn't need to be this angry with him, but this could've been very bad.

"That's not going to happen. You've had the power since last night, the only reason it even came out is probably because you were acting all moody and brooding. Touch the table."

I hesitantly did as he asked. Nothing happened.

"Looks like you have Midas' gift without the downside. See, it's like any other power, you have to wait to get it under control. In the meantime, though, I'd wear gloves if I were you."

I nodded mutely staring at my hands. I was going to be the richest man alive! Who needs to steal when you can make an instant fortune? And I didn't even have the icky downsides of it.

"Wait, does that mean he has my powers too?" Hazel exclaimed in dismay.

Percy shrugged his shoulders and I smiled in a daze. A master thief who could manipulate riches, rocks, and turn things to gold. Ho yes, this was going to be a whole bunch of fun. I glanced at Hazel's lone earring, only for Hazel to catch my eye.

She gave me a coy smile, before pushing it in my direction invitingly. I studied it for a second, before shaking my head. No use humiliating myself if I failed. I'd show them my awesome power once I got them under control. In the meantime, though, Percy was right. I needed some gloves.

"Now," The devil himself said, green eyes flashing happily as he munched on a piece of bacon "Who's ready for training?"

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

I admit I had my doubts about Hazel and her ability, but to my surprise, she was pulling through for newbie. Not that I'd ever tell her. Once inside our cozy little armory/training arena courtesy of Hades (I mean Pluto. Stupid Roman thing. The whole debacle still made no sense), she had gone for an Imperial Gold (Percy confirmed this to be yet another 'Roman' thing) spatha and despite its length, was actually doing quite well as Percy helped her with the basics.

Things didn't come as easily as they should have, her whole style seemed to rely on fighting in a group, definitively proving that she wasn't a Greek. We were solo fighters, independent killing machines who could unite, unpredictably strong and tactical all at once, an extremely dangerous combination.

As the hours wore on, I realized that while she had definite potential, it was obvious that a "capable" fighter would be all she could ever be. We Greeks could only teach those wannabe Romans so much. Hazel finally walked out of our makeshift arena, hair a tangled mane of curls, drenched in sweat, but eyes still glowing and excited.

"We have to find your niche," Percy explained, patting her on the back. True to form, Percy didn't even look tired. Then again, the constant sparring and teaching weren't even a pre-warmup to demigods like us. Hazel was breathing hard as Percy sent her out, telling her to fuel up and rest before going to work putting things back in order. I stared down at my gloved hands for a second, the idea of gold running in my head.

"I think that's it." Percy declared, capping Riptide and wiping his palms clean. "She's definitely got potential. I want to get her with some of the other Romans, or maybe put her on a horse. What do you think?"

I shrugged, watching the dull appearance of Percy's pen, wondering if Hazel would ever be like that one day. Transforming from dull and ordinary into the extraordinary. Percy had never gone through that stage. He had always been extraordinary.

A memory from lost night snuck back to me, and I asked Percy "Last night, Riptide didn't turn to gold when Midas touched it, but my sword did. What's up with that? And what's the deal with him calling it an Alpha Blade? The Guardians did the same thing?"

"That? I keep remembering you were in with the Fallen for a long time before I was. You seriously don't know about the levels?"

I shook my head.

"The gods, Hephaestus mostly, classifies the strength of the any and all weapons in our world. It only counts for non-godweapons, it tells them how dangerous we are. Hephaestus named off four levels; Alpha, Beta, Chi, and Omega. Omega is the majority, it's essentially every single weapon on earth you're going to find. They break, the rust, they can be changed like yours was, they're average. Next is Chi, they're cursed. All Stygian Iron objects are Chi, and anything that comes with a price towards the user is considered a Chi. Next is Beta, which is enchanted. That means it's stuff like Riptide, where it can change shape, or have other cool abilities."

"Okay. But they called Riptide an Alpha, not a Beta."

Percy nodded. "Riptide is ancient. And I'm not the first hero to use it. It's been passed from hand to hand, it's killed thousands, maybe even millions of monsters. Weapons like Riptide build up power through that time, taking bits and pieces of monsters until they become the demigod equivalent to a godweapon. They may not be as powerful as god's tools, but they still pack a punch. Riptides indestructible, and it's always sharp. Not to mention it's connection to the sea, it gives my powers and me a big boost. It has other cool abilities too, but the point is that it's at the top of the scale."

Hazel walked back in looking fresh and energized again already.

"We ready to get going?" She asked, practically bouncing in place.

"You were struggling to pick yourself up off the floor, how the hell are you already back and hopping?" I asked, staring at her.

She shrugged saying "It's like I told you this morning, I feel lighter, and everything's just, just fantastic!"

Her strength's been being sapped for months, Percy tapped, after all, sleeping last night, it's back where it's supposed to be. I nodded and grabbed my knife, strapping it to my side.

"Alrighty then, come on losers, we got places to be, people to kill." Well, monsters, but he, who really cared? After a quick jog around town, we got back to the club. Percy tilted his head to the side, looking confused as he stared at the building, the music pumping loudly, sweet music coming out of the now open door.

"What's wrong Perce?" Hazel asked, slowing to a stop.

"The bands still playing."

Hazel and I gave him perplexed looks.

"The band, it always takes breaks remember? Always at four and five. It's four thirty, and they're still going."

Hazel still looked confused. "Ok, but what does that mean?"

I answered for Percy advancing towards the open door. "It means Kronos is upping his game. No more lucky strikes. Everybody in there is either high on Siren Song or waiting for us to arrive." I was right. The club was in full swing, the siren's music pushing the club into a greater crazy than usual. The staff and band members had vanished, replaced with a monstrous crew.

Disfigured satyrs, Harpy waitresses, and a three-chested cook, Geryon, awaited us as we walked in. Too looming, hairy figures glared down at us as we passed them, growls ripping out of their throats as they bared great fangs. Hazel seemed to shrink another foot as we walked by, looking at the club with wide eyes.

"What were those?" She asked, struggling to keep up.

"Agrius and Oreius. I conned them into working for me a few years back, they're even dumber than Jackson, don't make eye contact."

Hazel quickly averted her gaze following after me. We stopped at the bar, Percy surveying the bar with a quirky smile.

"You know, I'm actually a little insulted. I thought I was at least worth an angry mob, it's as though nothing's changed."

I nodded, scanning the area. Percy was right; not only was it unsettling and worrisome, but it really was actually a little insulting. I mean, sure I didn't want to complain and ask to take on an angry titan or anything, but Percy and I could easily take out the creepy crawlies here in ten seconds' flat tops. We didn't even know the rules, and Kronos was changing the game.

"I'm gonna take a look around, do a little recon, you guys stay together." Percy walked off, vanishing into the crowd.

Hazel and I leaned back up against the bar, staring around the party. Hazel hummed and bopped along with the music, her eyes following the chubby Asian kid and the dwarf on crack in one of the corner booths. The chubby kid was stuffing his face with food from a buffet in the corner, a mountain of plates already in front of him, while the imp was sitting across from him, lounged out across his side of the booth, sound asleep.

She watched them with an almost dreamy look, despite the vacuum power and slop that was currently coming from him as one devoured the food and the other snored time away.

"Frank and Leo huh?"

Hazel nodded happily, before catching herself and giving me a cautious look. I gave her a wink and she sighed, letting the smile come back. "Yeah. Frank and Leo."

"How long?"

Hazel shrugged. "Frank moved here with his mother and grandmother a few years back. I guess I've liked him since the day I met him. Leo has a crush on me, and he's just so sweet, I can't put him down. They're … they're the bee's knees!"

I smirked, glancing back at the kid.

"Good luck kid. Don't worry, help save the world and they'll be drooling all over you."

Hazel beamed, hesitantly asking "How about you and Percy?"

I froze, giving her a sideways look. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, I mean, the way you acted, I thought maybe you…"

I shook my head. "I did. A long time ago. Not anymore. I made sure that wouldn't happen again."

"What happened? Sorry, I didn't mean to pry, never mind."

Bullshit. Polite as she tried to act, all she wanted was answers. She was barely even trying to hide the fact. We stood there in an awkward silence for a long time, before I sighed.

"There's nothing to tell really. It was all about power. In the end, I had a choice between the good life and him, and I chose the good life. Both got screwed up, but that's beside the point."

"You didn't choose Percy?"

"I grew up like you Hazel. Poor as dirt, a screw-loose mother, and a dad who was never there and didn't want to bet there. When I got offered a golden ticket, I did exactly what you did. I didn't even think about what could go wrong, what would happen later, and I didn't care. It didn't matter. In the end, Percy didn't matter more to me than the money, end of story."

Hazel stayed quiet for a long time, staring at Frank from across the room. I could see the gears turning in her head, wondering if she would have done the same thing to Frank if she had been in my shoes. And the answer scared her.

"You were like me. But now I have you guys, and we're going to fix everything. What about Percy though? What's his story?"

"That's a very, very long story, most of which I don't know anymore. The short version? His mother got killed in front of him, he was homeless for years till I found him, I screwed him and his life up the second I got the chance, he made some very, very bad decisions, and ended up in the same prison as me, and now we're here."

"Wait, you guys ended up in jail?"

I gave Hazel an amused look. "What did Percy tell you about the two of us?"

"A lot of stuff."

"Obviously not. What did he tell you about the mission?"

"That the gods had sent you to stop Kronos and save us and the world. Isn't, that right?"  
I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm the ultimate thief and Percy's a turncoat murderer. We got put in the gods jailhouse for demigods, and this is our way of doing 'community service'. And saving the world and all of you is an added bonus, the gods only care about saving their precious skins from daddy."

Hazel stared at me, face a whirlwind of emotions; hurt, hopelessness, fear, anger, and confusion.

"But… but Percy said the gods cared about us, that they might not talk to us, but they're always still there, trying."

I gave an indignant snort. "Talk about hypocrites. Percy knows better than most people that the gods don't care about us."

Hazel stayed quiet for a long time, before shaking her head. "I don't believe you. You and Percy aren't like that, and I think Percy's right. And it doesn't matter why you're here, it only matters that you are here and that you're trying to save us. You know I didn't think I'd hear you say something like that. Percy's been helping me out a lot, and all he can say is that you were a great friend and helped him out a lot. And I don't think that… that…"

Hazel trailed off, and I suddenly realized that she was humming along to the music, eyes lost and dazed. So much for that argument. Thank you, sweet siren song. A cheer went off from over by the poker table, and Hazel's eyes fixed on it, the hunger returning to her eyes again. Oh no.

I grabbed Hazel and shook her roughly. "Hazel, snap out of it." The mist behind her eyes cleared up a little, but then she tried to squirm away.

"One quick game, I'll be right back, I promise!"

I slapped her, and she fell back, taken aback. "What the hell!"

"Good, you're back to normal."

Hazel looked confused for a split second before the memory of what she had said came back to her. "What happened?"

"Siren song, she's trying to pull you back under, keep you sedated. You have to stay focused and be glad she isn't directed solely at you, otherwise, that slap wouldn't have done anything."

"How can I stay focused?" I shrugged.

"It's different for everyone. Percy's immune, he never has to worry about things like this. Siren's song convinces you to think about everything good, all the things you love, and it takes away your pain. Do you want my advice? Bring up the most horrible, heartbreaking memory you've got and focus on it."

"Is that healthy? I mean, don't doctors tell you that you shouldn't try and focus on stuff like that for too long?"  
I gave a shrug. "Most doctors also tell you that if you see monsters and talk to gods you're crazy, what do they know anyways?" Percy suddenly reappeared, flowing out of the crowd with ease and taking a seat beside Hazel.

"Alright, twenty-seven monsters altogether, not counting the siren. I think our best next target is going to be Piper, most of the Empousa around her are busy grinding up against the other dancers right now, we can go in and get her before they even realize she's gone."  
Before we had a chance to respond, the blonde boy, Jason, slid into the spot beside Percy, self-confident, sexy grin on his face.

"Hey there, I'm Jason. Jason Grace." He said, extending his arm.  
Percy smiled back, shaking his hand. "Percy Jackson."

"Percy Jackson," Jason said, testing the name out a few times. "Well Percy, believe me, it's a pleasure to meet you. You new in town?"

Percy shot us a look, before saying "Just passing through. We're leaving at the end of the month."

Jason gave a sad sigh. "Well, that's a shame. It's pretty nice down here, it'd be great to have somebody like you here to liven things up. Hey, maybe I could show you around one of these days. The place might not look it, but there are some pretty good sights around here. Course they can't compare to what I'm looking at right now, but that's beside the point."

I hated the spark that came when Percy had the nerve to blush and laugh. I wasn't angry that he wasn't hooked on me anymore, or giving me such mixed signals. No, I was angry that he was falling for the lame tricks of this idiot.

"But no seriously, do you mind if I get a picture of us? I don't think my friends will believe me if I tell them I saw an angel."

Percy rolled his eyes, but the blush was still there. I cleared my throat, quickly standing up and forcing Hazel and Percy up.

"Great chatting with you Josh," I said, propelling them away.

Jason gave me a death glare, electric eyes sparking dangerously.

"It's Jason."

Percy glanced back at me in warning and Jason's smile instantly came back.

"Nice meeting you Percy. Catch you later?"

Percy nodded and smiled back.

"Hazel, go check on Piper," I ordered, pushing her away and forcing Percy to an empty corner.

"What's your problem? We're not here to flirt!" I spat out angrily.

Percy rolled his eyes. "I know that idiot. You get friends by being nice, if I play along he might be easier to work with and save."

"That wasn't trying to get a friend that was trying to get yourself fucked, start thinking with your head, not your crotch Jackson."  
Percy frowned, pushing me away. "You're one to talk. Neither of us would be here in this mess if you followed your own advice."

"Come on, how is this my fault?"

"Let's see, you turned yourself into a pedo and manipulated a mentally broken kid into relying on you and then betrayed him, getting yourself thrown into prison, and sending the entire mythological world after the already crazy kid, pushing him right into the arms of a psychopath titan king of manipulation and murder who made him do things he can't even begin to describe, before he finally got fed up that he asked his own dad to kill him so he could get away from it all, and finally end up with that same douchebag who screwed his life up again to try and save the world from that same titan! That is how it's all your fault!" Percy was breathing hard, face red, fists clenched.

We glared back and forth, and I was opening my mouth to retort when Hazel came back.

"I think Pipers…"  
She trailed off as she looked at us, realizing she had interrupted our argument. Percy took a deep breath, before saying "Let's go get her before anything happens, ok?"

After a few moments, we all started walking over to the center of the room where Piper was currently making out with a blue haired nymph, all the while getting groped by a hungry looking satyr.

"No Empous- Empuse- I mean, Empousa around!" Hazel said.

"Alright, Hazel, you're our way out, clear a path for us. Luke, you take care of the nymph and the satyr, I'll grab her and we'll get out of here as fast as we can!"

We started walking, Hazel hanging back, ready to push away the crowd, while I readied myself to get rid of Piper's unwanted entourage. We were almost here when I ran into a drop dead gorgeous girl with long brown hair and red eyes.

She grabbed my arms, whispering "Wanna dance hot shot?"

She looked up, only for the two of us to freeze.

"Kelli!"

"Luke!" She spat.

The Empousa queen herself took a step back, hair turning to flames, eyes glowing brightly, metal and donkey leg forming instantly, nails sharpening to points. Scattered around the crowd, other Empousa suddenly flared into existence, all hissing and looking straight at us. Percy and Hazel came up behind me, the three of us standing back to back, sizing up our enemies.

"You know her?" Hazel asked.

Kelli smiled brightly. "Where are my manners? I'm Kelli, nice to meet you. And yes, this sexy hunk of demigod knows me alright. You know, I'm hurt, Luke. Didn't you want to tell your darling little friends about me?"

I flashed a cocky smile. "Kelli, meet the gang. Gang, meet Kelli, my girlfriend. Well, ex-girlfriend. Wasn't that great in the sack, really screwed up the relationship."  
Kelli's fangs ripped out, eyes burning red. Something came at Hazel and Percy moved in to block them, only for another to come colliding into me from behind. I came crashing to the floor at Kelli's feet, staring up at her as she smiled cruelly down.

She kneeled down beside me, gently lifting up my face. "How about one more kiss, for old times' sake?"  
And then she leaned down, fangs ripping into my flesh, tongue lashing out at mine. I flailed around, kicking at her, only for her to twist around, straddling my chest and sitting on my arms, her celestial bronze and donkey leg cutting off circulation as she went to work, grinding u against me. Blood and energy rushed through me, as Kelli slowly started draining me.

Death by a hot as hell kiss? Well, at least it wasn't the worst death I'd ever thought up. Kelli ground up against me again, physical feeling increased by a bazillion as she drained the life right out of me, pure pleasure rushing through as we touched. Yeah, this was definitely a good way to die.

* * *

**So the sword info will become important eventually, and the questions people are coming up with will be answered soon. Anyways, hoped you enjoyed, next chapter we're mixing things up with a new perspective, hope you enjoyed, please comment, question, review, critique, or just read, and if you liked this, check up some of my other works. Have a fantastic week everybody!**


	10. Love, Lust, Freedom

**Love, Lust, Freedom**

Hazel POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, Half-Blood Swag**

 **19**  days,  **8**  hours,  **59**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

My whole life I've been seeing impossible things. Frightening things, crazy things, things that should never exist, and things that no one would believe me if I told them. A club full of she-demons with fire for hair, blood red eyes, and the leg of a donkey and robot attacking and trying to molest my new friends and I were one of those things.

Percy had pushed me out of the way in time to avoid one of them, only for another to take advantage of Luke's now exposed flank, tackling him to the ground in front of his ex. Percy twirled me around, fist colliding with an Empousa jaw as it came too close, roundhouse kicking it as he spun me out of the way yet again. It wasn't hard to see why people like Percy were heroes, just the way he moved made him seem otherworldly, flowing from place to place.

Three of the demons moved forward, and Percy threw a punch. Water jets materialized out from his fist, sending the Empousa sprawling into one of the speakers on the wall. The music suddenly screeched and faded. The Siren looked around stage confused, only to narrow in on us.

People around us were looking dazed and confused, waking up only to see the monsters around them. The screams started up, and an Empousa rushed forward, seizing her chance and grabbing me, her fangs digging into my neck. I screamed in pain, watching as Percy spun around, his sword Riptide materializing as he charged forward.

And then suddenly, all the pain was gone. In fact, everything was gone. Nothing had ever even been. All there was, was the beautiful song that was in my head. Everything was perfect now, everything wrong in my life had vanished, all of my troubles were over.

And then the song was gone and I was sopping wet. I gasped in shock, shaking myself off and looking around wildly. I was back at the Shoebox; Percy was standing over me looking worried, Luke sitting on the floor beside me, smiling like an idiot.

"Haze, you alright?"

I nodded, glancing around again.

"What happened? How did we get here?"

Percy knelt next to Luke, slapping his face a few times, frowning when he didn't get a response.

"People were waking up and the monsters were in danger, the Siren went into emergency mode, threw all her power into a nice finale for the night. The whole club, even the monsters are still back there in a daze."

"Wait, how did you not end up like us?"

"Natural Immunity. After you live my life, things like the Siren song just don't affect you anymore. Go get me some ambrosia, it's in the top drawer back in the kitchen, Kelli drained a lot outa him."

"Ambrosia?"

"Food of the gods, small cubes in a bag, heals demigods."

I nodded and ran into the kitchen, throwing open the drawer and pulling out a small baggie with strange looking cubes. I rushed back to Percy, handing him the bag.

"Here, eat this, the Empousa got you pretty good too," Percy said, breaking off a small piece for me before force-feeding Luke the rest.

I flinched, the momentarily forgotten pain coming back instantly, and I took a bite. My eyes popped open as I tasted my mama's famous jambalaya, the spicy flavor tickling my taste buds, warming me from the inside out. The pain ebbed away as I eagerly chewed the piece, the taste getting stronger and stronger.

I almost let out a sad whimper when I realized there was nothing left. This ambrosia was the whole shebang, I'd never had anything like it. Percy grinned when he saw my expression.

"Nice, right? If only it didn't kill you if you eat too much."

My frown grew. I wanted more, it was good, no amazing! I glanced back at Luke, taking in the ragged appearance, pale and frail, eyes still dangerously glazed over.

"What happened to him?"

"Kelli. Empousa are essentially incubi, they drain the life right out of their unlucky lovers. Luke just got lucky the Siren started singing otherwise he'd be a really ugly leather husk. Well, an uglier leather husk anyways."

Color slowly started to return to Luke's skin as we watched, the haze slowly starting to vanish.

"Come on, help me get him into bed. The big oaf needs some rest after a face-sucking like that."

Percy and I awkwardly shuffled Luke's frame out of the main room and into the bedroom, dragging him onto his bed as carefully as possible.

"The guy could seriously stand to lose a few pounds." Percy griped, giving a relieved sigh as he dropped Luke down.

I giggled, following Percy back out, eagerly falling back into one of the chairs.

"That was a fun field trip. What's next teach?" I asked with a wink.

"You're as bad as I am. You did pretty well out there today."

I gave him a disbelieving glance. "I freaked out and got bit by a demon while Luke played tonsil hockey and you went ninja. How did I do pretty well?"

Percy shrugged. "You literally just found out about our world Hazel. Sure, you didn't pull out a sword and go hero, but basically, nobody does that."

"For some reason, I'm guessing that you're the exception to that."

Percy shrugged his shoulders, not denying the accusation at all. It was hard to picture Percy as anything but a hero. He was built tall and slim, made up of streamlined muscle, muscular in a deceptive way. It made sense that he was the son of the sea god.

Everything on the surface changed drastically when you went deeper, the more you found out about him, the more you realized you didn't know. The way Luke described him made him seem dark, brooding, murderous, and what scared me was that I could see it. Far under the surface of the ocean that was Percy, something was lurking.

But it was carefully hidden, buried under the Percy that I knew in my gut was the real one. Percy leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling, flipping Riptide through his fingers over and over.

"Piper, Piper, Piper." He murmured, frowning seriously.

"How are we going to help her?"

Percy glanced back down at me and shrugged.

"I don't know. Lust isn't my cup of nectar, and I don't know enough about Piper to help."

"I can help you there. I'm sure you know about her dad, Tristan McLean, famous actor, heartthrob, etcetera, etcetera. Her mom left right after she was born, she was raised by nannies and her dad. When he was around. They moved into town a few years ago, and at first, we got along really well, she was really nice. But then she met Drew Tanaka, and things just went downhill. She got involved with the popular kids, and then well… you saw how she was back at the club."

Percy nodded mutely.

"Luke better wake up soon, he's better at these kinds of things. I guess we can just repeat what we did with you and just grab her and come back here."

We sat there in silence for a while, before Percy suddenly stood up.

"I'll be back later, I need to clear my head."

He threw on a blue and black jacket, Riptide still spinning between his fingers, and then vanished back outside. I stared at him, waiting for the door to open again. I felt lost in a game I didn't know, with rules I had already broken. I was playing the game with a self-proclaimed thief, and a traitor. What did I really know about them?

Percy had told me their mission, he had told me a little about himself; his obsession with blue, his favorite music, his favorite sights, some of his talents. But the most I had found out about him had come from Luke. I didn't know much about their past. At some point the two had met up, Luke had gotten the offer of a lifetime to steal the weapons of the gods, and to save himself, he had sold out Percy, only to get caught and thrown into prison later.

As for Percy, after that, I didn't really know anything, only that Luke had said he was a traitor. And the only enemy I knew of right now was Saturn-Kronos I mean-, someone whom Percy had described as an epitome of cruelty, a master manipulator, a true villain, a being with an unquenchable bloodlust and a malicious, sadistic streak a thousand miles wide.

Sometime after that, Percy had gotten himself captured as well and thrown into prison, and then just a few days ago, they had both been released to come down here and save the world. I leaned back, staring up at the ceiling. They were good. I could tell. Percy may have skeletons in his closet and Luke may have serious issues, but they were good. And that was enough for me. I was with the heroes.

It didn't matter what game I was playing anymore, or if I didn't know the rules. I was on the right side. And right now, _our_ mission was to save my friends. Especially Frank and Leo. But what to do about Piper? Like I had said after Drew came into the picture, the Piper I knew just disappeared. It was time to change that. With Piper, honesty was always the best policy, she had a way of knowing if you were lying to her.

Percy was right, all we needed to do was walk right up to her and explain the situation. Or at least do the same part he had done with me, I didn't want to be in that club any longer than I had too. I stood up and walked over to the sink, still in thought, before a flash of gold caught my eye through the window.

I whirled around, and for a split second, though I saw a flash vanishing into the shadows. I watched for a long time, waiting and watching. I was used to this, to knowing things were out there. I had always seen things most others couldn't. Only know I knew what they were, and what they wanted. And now, they knew about me.

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

The club music was louder than ever as Percy and I advanced. Luke was still recovering, and in his brief moments of consciousness, had seemed to agree with our explain-and-snatch plan. Or at least, that's what Percy and I had taken from his grunts and moans. The door was guarded by a vicious looking creature with fur and fangs, but it didn't stand a chance.

Riptide shimmered into existence, there was an explosion of gold, and Riptide vanished, all seemingly in the blink of an eye. And then we were inside. Except it had changed. The music was louder now, the lights flashing was even more distracting than usual. The basic care had fallen away, and monsters were more exposed, the constant occupants taking a toll on the building. Everyone was still dancing, but the smiles were crooked, the fun club time was gone and they knew it. But the Siren was still singing; no one would be waking up.

Percy steadied me, making me realize I had been swaying to the music, just like last time. I tried ignoring the music, instead focusing on bad memories like Luke had told me to. The first that came to mind was my mother, ever-present but never there. They may have said that I was Greed, but compared to her I was nothing. That woman would have sold her soul for a few shiny rocks. But really, she was all I had. She and Nico were the only family I had.

Except for my dad of course. But seeing as how the god of the Underworld had never even sent me as much as a birthday card, I really couldn't add him to that list. I stopped swaying on my own now. The music had soured, the rich melody fading away into an unattractive wail.

"Alright, all the Empousa are dancing, Piper's on her own, but with my luck, they'll be checking on her any second now. You ready?"

I nodded apprehensively, grabbing Percy's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Let's do this." I murmured.

We dashed into the crowd, twisting and spinning through the throng of people. I saw an opening, pulling Percy after me and emerging out in front of a couch. Piper was sitting on one end looking bored and irritated, while the flowery girl and the goat man from earlier sucked face on the other. As we sat down, Piper's kaleidoscope gaze fell on us, a lecherous grin twisting onto that perfect face.

"Well hey there." She purred, voice somehow cutting smoothly through the club noise.

"Hi, Piper. I'm Percy and this is my new friend, your old friend, Hazel. Nice to meet you."

There was a shine in Piper's eyes as she glared at me, a spark of familiarity before it was gone and she was back to looking at Percy. She studied him like a starving child would study a three-decker chocolate fudge cake with molten fudge frosting, licking her lips hungrily.

"The pleasure's all mine" leaning back comfortably, absently twisting strands of her hair, before giving us a subtle wink "What can I do for you two?"

"Actually, we're here to find out what we can do for you," I replied. I glanced over at Percy who nodded supportively and took a deep breath.

"Piper, do you remember that time, a long time ago, when we were coming home from school and that strange man followed us around and how we thought he only had one eye? When we told everyone, nobody believed us. I have proof now."

I turned back to Percy, who held out his hand. Water leaked out of his palm, slowly forming a liquid heart shape. Piper's eyes got as wide as dinner plates, and grew still larger as bubbles and foam appeared, forming together to say "We're here to rescue you, it's not safe here!"

Piper stared at the two of us, all the grace and sophisticated lust she had portrayed falling apart around her.

"H-how…"

"It turns out we're demigods Pipes, the kids of the gods. That's why we see all this stuff, we see monsters. We're like superheroes, we can do all kinds of amazing things, I can't wait to show you!"

Piper was growing pale.

"You should have seen Percy earlier, he was fantastic, he can do all this cool stuff. That's because his dad is Poseidon! You know, god of the oceans and all that. And my dad's Pluto, and I found out your mom is Aphrodite"

Piper's face was a pale, hard mask.

"Um, Haze-" Percy tried to interrupt, but I kept going.

"We can be heroes just like we always wanted, all of us! Percy and my other acquaintance, Luke, they're here to save the world. But first we need to take you out of here, it's not safe and-"

I had grabbed Piper's arm, ready to help her like Luke had helped me, eager to have my old friend back. But Piper wrenched her hand away glaring emptily at us. Too much, it had been too much information, too fast. I had been too excited, I needed to go back and take it slow, we were freaking her out.

If Percy had come on as strong as I had, I would have run for the hills. But I was just trying to help.

"Oh, there you are darling!" A sugar-coated cyanide voice oozed through the crowd. I shuddered, knowing all too well who the owner of that voice was; Drew Tanaka. The devil herself appeared next to my old friend, draping a pale, weak arm around her shoulders.

Drew's face was overloaded with makeup, her outfit leaving absolutely nothing at all to the imagination. Piper seemed to compose herself as Drew coiled around her, pressing a kiss to her perfumed cheek.

"Hey, Drew." She whispered calmly, hypnotically. I glared at the girl, only for her to glare right on back.

"What's up with the skater boy and voodoo girl? I mean, I know I said no one was off limits, but honestly, you have to have _some_ standards."

Piper smiled a very bright, very toothy, very fake smile.

"Moi? Avec eux? No, no they were just leaving."

"Piper-"

"Kelli" Piper called, cutting Percy off "Your friends are back!"

I went cold as the Empousa turned around, eyes snapping onto us instantly. She pushed her current dance partner away, quickly advancing towards us. With every step, her true appearance cut through more and more until the true monstrous form clanked and stomped towards us.

"Now would be a good time to go with plan B!" I said grabbing and rushing into the crowd.

"What's plan B?" Percy shouted, trying to keep up, propelling me away from the various monsters around us. The whole group of Empousa was on our tail now.

"Skedaddle on out of here, run like hell back to the Shoebox and think up plan C!"

An Empousa swiped at us, but we ducked, racing towards the door. A beast similar to the one Percy had disposed of pounced in front of the door, haunches raised, fangs bared. Percy's arm encircled my waist, and suddenly we were air born, a geyser propelling us over the beast and out the door. We flew down the short hallway and out the door into the street, skidding and falling before finally coming to a stop.

The beast was right behind us, it was coming straight at us. It threw itself into the air, it was soaring at us, as Percy struggled to uncap Riptide, but the door suddenly slammed shut, a sharp whine of pain coming from the other side.

"Miss me?" Luke asked, smiling cockily down at us. The color was back, that mischievous glint had replaced the mist in his eyes.

"You're late," was Percy's lone reply as he hustled me to my feet.

Luke rolled his eyes, leaning up against the door until something large slammed into it, making him carefully step away.

"Kind of a dull scene, what do you say we split, maybe go for a joy ride?" It took me a moment to notice the sparkling gold convertible on the curb, motor still running.

"That's Mr. Midas' car."

Luke shrugged smirking as he said, "We need it more than he does, trust me."

The door rattled, the Empousa were screeching angrily. Percy hopped in the passenger seat while Luke and I crawled in, Luke putting the pedal to the medal, the town transforming to a blur as we went by.

"You failed. Not going to say I told you so- who am I kidding, I told you so. What were you thinking?"

"It was one of the best options we could come up with" Percy snapped, "Besides, you weren't exactly helpful yourself."

"I made some very thought provoking comments thank you very much."

I had to snort, leaning up to the front seat; "Luke, the most 'thought provoking' thing you said was, and I quote 'gree… me… ye…'"

Luke shot me a reproachful look. "Come on, don't take his side, you were just starting to e cool!" he complained.

We laughed and drove on until the silence came back, and the acceptance of our failure came back. We stayed quiet as Luke pulled over on the side of the road, tugging his gloves off and tapping the wheel. The gray stripes of leather that twisted around the wheel turned to gold at his touch, going strip by strip. I was the one who ended up asking the question on everyone's mind.

"What do we do now?"

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

We spent the next two days asking that question. Another attempt to talk to her had ended up with Piper freaking out and somehow brainwashing Luke, getting him to run away with us in tow. Luke and Percy were at each other's throat a lot, bickering over the smallest of things, it was like watching one of those cute elderly couples. A cute elderly couple with swords and death wishes.

I had wandered out after their latest squabble, promising to stay safe and sound. When I had left, Percy had been in the training room, a hurricane of celestial bronze, while Luke was practicing turning things to gold.

My sword hung at my waist, occasionally scraping the ground as I walked. I didn't know what I was going, my feet were just taking me where they wanted. Roughly three weeks until the end of the world. It had only taken a day to change me- well not completely change me, just enough to break the bond. The itch was still there in the back of my head still _wanting._

I was out of town now, in a large field. Could we really save the world in only three weeks? The seven sins were built in human habits, habits that took years and years to really get rid of, at the very least months. But now weeks, not days. We had already wasted over four days on Piper and me without any real progress. If it took another four or more days for all of us, we would still be dead. We needed to be at our best.

Luke had tricked and manipulated me into going cold turkey. If he could do that to me in one afternoon, then there had to be a way to do it for the others. A dark presence was walking away into the forest. I froze, watching the figure go deeper, heading towards an abandoned building only a few people knew about. And one of them was walking away from me, aviator jacket wrapped tightly around them.

I sprinted after Nico, a smile forming on my lips. Of course, Nico could help! He had come to live with us when he was ten, a month and a half after the Massacre of Westover Hall. He was the only survivor and I didn't judge him because of the haunted, resentful look in his eyes.

He was broken, anyone would be after Westover. We had been together since then, thick as thieves and I was the only one who could ever get him to really smile. Nico was smart, and what's more, now that I knew about the magical world, I knew that he had always known about it. Whenever I told him about the strange creatures or sights, they had a way of vanishing.

Nico was the best cousin I could ask for. And once I explained things to him, we'd have Piper and Nico with us in no time.

"Nico!" I called.

Nico slowly turned around as I caught up, beaming.

"I'm so glad I found you! Listen, I need your…"

I trailed off confused as I stared at Nico. The smile he usually reserved for me was gone, replaced instead with the same tenebrous glare saved especially for those he truly despised.

"What's wrong?" I asked carefully.

You didn't want to get tangled with Nico when he was in a mood, the best thing was to give him some space.

"What's wrong?" Nico's tone was flat and angry "You tell me what's wrong."

I frowned, worrying digging into me. "I don't know. Are you okay? Did I do something?"

Wrong question. Dark fire lit up in his dark eyes, his hands clenching into fists.

"Did you-!? I trusted you! How could you be around _him?_ "

I took an unintentional step back before my own anger sparked to life. "I don't know what you're talking about, stop shouting at me. I haven't done anything wrong. In fact, I've been working hard to save you and everyone else with my new friends. Maybe if you can just settle down we can talk, because I need your help, and Luke and Per-"

Nico was suddenly very close and very angry. I wasn't as tall as others my age, but I wasn't exactly short. Yet Nico seemed to tower over me, a spire of rage, sorrow, betrayal and pain.

"Don't say his name." He snapped, glaring holes through my soul.

He was a son of death, and I could see it in his eyes. He was like me, but like the others, Greek. I stood my ground glaring up at him.

"What's wrong with you?"

The question didn't hold the concern and love it had when I said it before. Only disgust and confusion at his actions. We stood off for a long time, before he whirled around, stalking towards the ruin, shadows coiling angrily around his feet.

Movement at my own feet showed the same scenario happening to my shadows, another cold, unnatural ability, but I was too angry to notice. I stomped out of the woods, back into the field. That jerk, that inconsiderate, pointless, ignorant jerk! I had only wanted to talk to him, why had he been such a pain?

Anger was bubbling up inside me like never before, growing and growing, the need to release it becoming stronger and stronger. I was trembling with rage, and soon the earth was doing the same thing. Cracks fractured out around me, the pure green grass withering to dead husks. The angry pressure inside me was getting painful, it demanded to be released. And I did just as it wanted.

An angry, feral howl escaped my lips, I stomped through the dead earth and threw my hands up into the air. The pressure rushed out of me in an instant, the previously flat, green field turned into a cracked, desolate plain, the ground crumbling under my stomp.

As I had lifted my arms, it had felt like I had been lifting one hundred pound weights up above my head, and as I reached high above me, two yellow colored spires exploded out of the ground towering almost twenty feet above. I fell to the ground, suddenly very weak.

That had felt… good. That hadn't been anger, it had been power, pure, amazing power. Or maybe it was the other way around. I looked around, surveying the carnage, my encounter with Nico already forgotten. Had I done this? At first, all I could see was the destruction, and then the strange pillars I had pulled out of the ground started sparkling in the feeble sunshine. I had just pulled two twenty-foot-tall pillars of gold out of the earth.

Luke would flip if he found about this. I stared down at my hands in awe, still feeling power pulsing through me. Percy had been right; a tiny emotional push had worked. Well, kind of. I wasn't even sure how I had done any of this. But it was a start.

Maybe I could be a hero yet. I struggled to my feet, still admiring my handiwork when there was a sudden crunch from on of the pillars. I whirled around, clumsily drawing my sword. I had seen a lot of strange things- but I already told ya that, didn't I?

Well, here was another one for the lists; a horse, a fine dark stallion was eating the gold. Not like curiously sniffing or licking, but taking huge chomps out of the hardened metal, crunching it to dust. I stared at it for a while, before slowly sheathing my sword and making my way towards it.

The horse stopped chewing as I got closer, watching. I reached out a hand to touch its snout, only for it to vanish in a blur. I looked wildly around, trying to see what had happened only to hear another crunch behind me. The horse was eating the other pillar. I frowned, walking towards the horse again. What kind of horse was this? I was almost to it when it vanished again.

This went on for a while. No matter what I tried, whatever trick I pulled, it just sped around to the opposite pillar of gold. I finally gave up, breathing hard and leaning up against one of the pillars. I glared at the horse watching as it smugly made a snack of my achievement.

I sank to the ground, picking up a golf ball sized gold nugget that had broken off during our chase, tossing it from hand to hand. The chomping stopped, and I looked up to see the horse standing in front of me, peering hungrily at the nugget in my hand. I smiled, holding it out.

The horse slowly came forward, eyeing me carefully. Then faster than I could see, it snatched it out of my hand and left the field in a blur, dust trailing after it in thick clouds. I gave a defeated sigh. I loved horses. I would have loved to really see it up close. Of course, the whole faster-that-the-eye-could-see part was pretty darn nifty as well.

But hey, I had accomplished at least one thing today. Besides, there were bigger problems to deal with. I stood up, deciding to head back to the Shoebox. I hadn't been to my real home in weeks, not since the Siren started singing. Not that my mom would notice.

Mom wasn't exactly around nowadays. Nico and I had already gone through a scare when we caught her planning to elope with some young rich oil tycoon. I knew I should be concerned and but after a lifetime of hardship, it was hard to sympathize or care. That's why I had Nico. Nico… Why had he been so angry anyway? How had I betrayed his trust? And who was _he_? Luke or Percy?

But they hadn't said anything about knowing my cousin. Too many questions, too little time. And then something hit me like a flying battering ram out of hell. I was thrown into the air, landing on a rough, furry, muscular surface, the air rushing by in a blur too fast to even try and comprehend.

On instinct, I grabbed for the only support around, a thick rough pole, pumping up and down. Wind ripped by me as I saw the world flash by. I finally managed to make myself see what was going around, and realized that I was on top of the now galloping horse. Only it couldn't be galloping, horses couldn't possibly go this fast. Except his one was. It gave out an exhilarated neigh and I smiled, relaxing as the world flew by.

This was the single most incredible moment of my life. I had thought that being a hero and having powers were great, but this… this was my freedom, this was the rush of a thousand lifetimes crunched into one, it was like ten trillion sugar rushes pumping through me at once. I'd never felt so alive.

"Faster!" I shouted over the noise.

I didn't know if it could go faster or if it could even understand me, but it turned out it could on both accounts. In moments, we were going too fast to know, and I couldn't stop smiling and laughing. I was meant for this. Riding this horse, I felt free, I felt strong. There weren't any disasters, no dark, sinister pasts, no questionable people. It was freedom.

But that was when it all clicked together, a nice, simple way of getting to Piper being able to really talk with her; the right way this time. She would understand what we were doing this time, and I would have my friend back.

"I have to go home!" I shouted.

The horse gave a whinny, before making a split-second turn, racing off in the opposite direction. Ten seconds later, the horse skidding to a skip in front of the Shoebox, where Percy and Luke were staring in awe at me.

"Is that Arion? The demon horse?"

What? The horse- Arion- gave a whinny and a grunt.

Percy chuckled. "Yeah, he is a bit of a blonde Twinkie."

Arion gave a neigh and Percy frowned.

"Excuse me?"

Arion repeated the sounds, and Percy spluttered, blushing, then glaring at the horse.

"First of all, gross. Second, you're a horse. Third, you're kind of my half-brother, that's incest. And lastly, gross!"

Arion snorted.

"Of course, your bigger than he is, the blonde git's hung like a weasel. But still no." Percy snorted

Luke glared while I looked on in confusion.

"Um… What's going on?"

"Dad created horses, I speak the language. And believe me, you don't want to know what he's been saying."

Percy could talk to horses. So, unfair.

"How'd you find him? He's impossible to track, let alone ride." Luke asked, getting as close as he dared to the shadow steed.

"I got really mad, used my powers, brought up some gold, he ate it, and he let me ride on him, but that's not the point, it's-"

"Totally sweet! See, I knew could do it Haze! And he's actually saying you're his new… I'm not saying that. Disgusting story short, Arion has claimed you as his new rider. This is awesome Haze, nobody ever gets-"

"I know how we can get Piper. It'll be a fight, but it'll work."

Percy shut up, both my friends looking expectantly up at me.

"Here's the plan."

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

"I don't like this plan." Luke hissed as we pushed him towards the club.

"Hey you were the one who suggested kidnapping her before, now that Haze's onboard it's basically your idea! Besides, you're the only one who can pull this off."

We rushed into a dark corner, out of sight from everyone else.

"Just remember to run like hell," Percy added.

Luke gave him a withering glare, before sighing and popping his collar.

"Wish me luck" He muttered, before starting towards the dance floor.

From our mostly concealed place, we watched as Luke went through the crowd, before coming to a stop behind Kelli. He tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned around. We watched as Luke slugged her with all his might.

The Empousa got air time, head snapping back, before falling back to the ground with a crash. The Empousa around the room gasped, appearances ripping away into their monstrous forms once again, charging towards him. Luke followed Percy's advice and ran like hell, a stud-shaped blur of leather followed by a group of very irate, vengeful Empousa led up by a profanity spewing, curse screaming Kelli.

"Alright let's go," I said running forward.

Piper was sitting at the bar now, snogging with a muscular looking jock. I took care of the jock, pulling him off his stool and pushing him into the crowd, where he quickly vanished, already forgetting the girl he been kissing in favor of the ones next to him.

"Hey! What're you-"

Percy pushed a chloroform rag to her face. Her eyes widened with panic, and she struggled for a second, before falling limp against him.

"Sorry Pipes. You'll thank me later." I promised, helping to lift her up and out of the club.

Yeah, there were a lot of other, more sophisticated ways of doing this. And Piper was going to freak out when she woke up. And of course, there was the whole matter of a horde of angry Empousa chasing Luke. Kidnapping wasn't the best way to do things, but we didn't have time for anything else.

Piper would understand, and things would turn out alright. We just needed a little more time and a whole lot of luck. It was time to take care of lust and free my friend. Now I just had to hope that this all didn't blow up in our faces.

* * *

**Alright so here it is. ENJOY! Have a great morning, day, night!**


	11. The Beauty Queen

**The Beauty Queen**

Hazel POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, The Shoebox**

 **16**  days,  **9**  hours,  **8**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

It turns out I was right. My best friend was not at all happy to wake up in an unfamiliar place after being knocked out and kidnaped. She was currently screaming, throwing things, and unsuccessfully trying to castrate Percy with one of her stiletto heels. We had set her down just inside the front door, only for her to start stirring. We had barely managed to push her in and lock the door before she was suddenly up and in hysterics. I was blocking the door and windows from escape while Percy tried in vain to calm Piper down.

"Rape!" Piper screeched, lashing out with a stiletto.

Percy dodged the makeshift weapon and glanced back at me.

"She's definitely your friend alright."

I rolled my eyes, slowly advancing with my arms raised.

"Piper, please listen to me!"

Piper had other plans. Seeing me abandon my post by the door, she dived, pushing me out of the way and rocketing towards the door. Percy was there in a blue flash, spinning her around. She ran back past me, only to realize what had happened and whirl around, wide-eyed.

"You gotta teach me that." I pleaded, before turning back to Piper and gently reaching out for her.

"Pipes, just hear me out. We're all in danger-"

Piper covered her ears shouting "Don't touch me!"

My hand snapped back like it had been scalded. I tried to grab her again as she retreated to the bedroom, but an inch away from her skin, my hand suddenly stopped working, and I swiped at air.

"What the heck?"

I was in the middle of flexing my rebellious fingers when Piper's new command hit me like a ton of bricks.

"Get away from me!"

I felt like I was in a dream; my body was suddenly moving without me, sprinting to follow the new overwhelming directive it had been given. I slammed into the closest wall and slid to the floor. I stared at Piper before it clicked in my head. Demigod, right…

Piper's eyes narrowed at my reaction.

"Turn around!" She ordered.

I swear my head twisted around so fast I heard my spine snap. I could see Percy still by the door, eyes wide with concern. I heard the strange step-clop as Piper headed for the door, her one shoe still raised threateningly. She walked into my field of vision, and I watched as she advanced menacingly towards Percy, full of courage born from the discovery of her new ability.

"I'm going to leave now, and there's nothing you can do about it. Get out of my way!"

But Percy didn't budge, in fact, he did quite the opposite. He crossed his arms, looking unimpressed, and gave his own command.

"Go sit down before you hurt yourself with that."

Piper gave a startled look. "Move it!" She shouted.

Percy didn't move it.

With a growl, Piper raised the shoe threateningly. Percy smacked it out of her hand, grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, and lifted up. Piper gave a frightened squeak, eyes searching frantically for an escape. Percy marched her over to the table, spinning around and letting go of her arm, pushing her into the chair.

"Tell Haze she's free," Percy demanded.

Piper just stared at him. "Everybody does what I tell them to. Why didn't you?"

Percy shrugged. "I' have issues with authority. Now tell Hazel she can move."

Piper glanced back to me, before shakily stating "You can… um... move."

The stiffness that had held me vanished, and I relaxed, rubbing my sore neck.

"How did she do that?" I asked, eyes wide.

"She's a daughter of Aphrodite, seduction and suggestion are their forte. You good?"

I nodded, advancing towards a small looking Piper.

"Alright, we're going to talk and you're going to listen." I started.

Percy gave a small cough and gave me a pointed look. I blushed a little and took a step back right. After our first screw up, it had been unanimously decided that I let the boys do the talking due to my overzealous attitude towards all this.

"Right. He's going to talk, and we're going to ask you to please listen and not freak out because it's really important."

Piper nodded silently. Percy and I took a seat before Percy started talking.

"Aright Piper. I really didn't want to do this, but you haven't really left us a better way of talking to you. First of all, we're definitely not here to rape you or hurt you. We're actually trying to save you. Now, the other times we tried to talk to you we told you basically everything before you went psycho. So, summing everything up; the mythology you grew up learning about is real, all the gods and goddesses are real, everything's very real."

"You're a demigod, a half mortal, half god, and your mom is Aphrodite. There's a whole lot more important stuff you need to know about that, but for now, all you need to know is that the entire world is in danger, and it's important that we help you. There are seven demigods that Kronos, the big baddie, picked out to make his monsters invincible, and you, unfortunately, are one of them. We're going to help you so you're not one of them. Any questions before we start?"

Piper seemed to take all this in for a long second, before asking "Why me?"

"Kronos connected his monsters to the most powerful demigods, and so he found connected them by finding out what emotions or habits he could correspond to the most. In this case, he went with the seven sins. You're Lust, and you got hooked up with all the Empousa; you know, all those demon fire chicks you've been making out with."

Piper nodded slowly. "And why should I believe you?"

Percy blinked in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"I said why should I believe you?"

"Why? You've been making out with demon fire chicks, satyrs, and nymphs. The two new bouncers for the club are giant bears, you just mind raped Hazel, you had to have seen us fighting the other day at the club, and you saw me manipulate water! How are you still skeptical about all this?"

Piper glared suspiciously at us for a moment. "I'm not buying it. This is all some hokey trick my dad set up, probably some prank. But I don't know why he'd include you" She gave me a poisonous glare as she stood up "I'm out of here."

"That's it!" I snapped, jumping to my feet.

I really hated to be the shortest one in the room, but right now I felt seven feet tall. "I've been trying to help you for days now, why are you being such a mimsy twit?!"

"Maybe I don't need your help, ever think of that? Maybe I never even needed you! Why don't you go back to that little shack you call a home and play bridge with your psycho cousin or your gold-digging bitch mother!"

I'm not a violent person by nature. Really, I'm not. So, when I backhanded Piper, sending her sprawling to the floor, I was as surprised as Percy was. His jaw hit the floor as he stared at us, before quickly getting in-between as Piper dove for me.

"No one insults my family you slut!" I shouted, trying to push Percy out of the way.

Family was a family, it didn't matter if you were fighting, or if one of them were jerks and the other was an alcoholic gold-digger. Nobody crossed the line and insulted family. Piper was struggling with Percy too, scratching with perfect manicured claws.

"Don't you call me a slut, you whore!"

Percy gave an exasperated groan, before throwing us into chairs on opposite sides of the table. We were making to get up, still raging at each other when he slammed his hands onto the table.

"Sit down and be quiet!"

It turns out you don't need to be a daughter of Aphrodite to get what you want. Piper and I fell back into our seats, death glares turning to Percy instead.

"If you can't say anything nice, don't say nothing at all. Now, we're going to sit down, and we're going to be nice until Luke gets back here, understand?"

I glowered, fists curling around the edge of the table. "She started it!"

Piper stuck her tongue out, opening her mouth when Percy gave her another look.

"I don't care who started it, I'm stopping it. Capiche?"

After a few agonizing seconds, we both grudgingly nodded.

"Good," Percy said, relaxing and leaning back in his chair.

We waited for nearly half an hour, no one moving or even saying a word. Finally, Percy frowned, watching the clock on the stove anxiously.

"He should be back by now." He murmured.

We sat there for another ten minutes before Percy stood up.

"I'm going to go look for the moron, he's probably gotten himself killed or something. You two are not going to hurt, maim, insult, or mortally injure each other while I'm gone. Got it? And I'm locking you in, so Piper, you're out of luck for escaping until later. Be good."

Percy flicked out Riptide and walked out the door. I heard the lock click from the outside, and the edges of it and all the windows flashed with white light before returning to normal. Ten seconds had barely ticked by before Piper rushed to the door, clicking all the locks and grabbing at the handle. It didn't budge.

"Percy said he was locking it, remember?"

Piper whirled around, a sarcastic grin on her face as she said: "Oh good, it's a relief to know that one of my psycho kidnappers is honest, that just makes everything better!"

"None of us are psycho Piper. And it doesn't matter if you don't want help, because for once in your life it's time to help other people. If we don't help you, the world _literally_ ends. And it doesn't matter if you want to ignore it, it's time to give back and-"

Piper flared back to life.

"Give back? Why should I be the one giving back? What the Hades has the world ever done for me? That's right, it gave me a life I didn't want, with a father who's never here, a mother whose some kind of ancient goddess who could care less about me, and a world I never wanted!"

"Because all the rest of us have such perfect lives, right Piper? At least your mom doesn't come into your room in the middle of the night and scream at you. At least you don't have a mom who hits you and abuses you and uses you. At least you still have a family that can pretend like it's alright! I don't even have that!"

Piper threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Again, with the mother thing, will it ever stop? Get on with your life already, nobody cares!"

"You're one to talk, stop being such a hypocrite! Get over yourself Piper, stop being such a drama queen!"

"Don't you call me a drama queen, you little witch! Why don't you go put some little curse on your boyfriends or something!"

Somewhere during the shouting match, we had both started walking towards each other and were now screaming in each other's faces.

"Don't bring my men into this when you're whoring yourself out to anything with a pulse! Why can't you just pretend you actually want to act like you have a heart?"

"Because I'm tired of it getting broken!" She screeched, glaring down at me.

We stayed there for a long time, red in the face and panting hard before all our words slowly started to sink in. Piper sniffled, tears in her eyes, walking over to the wall, leaning up against it and slowly sliding to the floor.

"Because I'm tired of it getting broken." She repeated. And then she started sobbing. I stared down at my ex-best friend in confusion, walking over and sinking down beside her.

"I'm tired of being unloved, of being ignored. I don't want to be alone anymore." Piper sobbed, tears ruining her makeup.

"If you were tired of being alone, then why did you leave me? We were best friends Piper. I was there through the braces and the headgear, I was there for all those soccer games you used to go to when your dad wouldn't, I was always there for you. So why?"

"Because you might have left! You would have left just like he did!"

"And so, what, you decided you were just going to shut everything out, turn yourself into a slut, act stupid and ignorant, and… and… oh."

Rage and confusion vanished. So that was it. Now it was all making sense. What do you do when you're tired of getting your heart broken? You get rid of your heart, you throw it away so you can't feel the pain. And then you toss yourself in with everyone else and act normal. But your brain knows you're still alone, it knows your living a lie. Then you have to get rid of it, you have to deny everything in front of you, because if you accept that anything might be true, then you'll remember why there's a gaping hole where your heart used to be, and suddenly you can get hurt again.

And that's what Piper had done. Stupid as she was thinking she would lose her best friend, she had done the only thing that made sense to her. She had gotten rid of her vulnerabilities and gave herself up into the rush, where she didn't have to feel because others felt for her, or told her what she was feeling. After she had left me, she had been 'safe'.

"Piper, you idiot…"

Piper looked up at me, tears streaked with mascara, eyes red and puffy, full of hurt. I leaned over and hugged my best friend. Piper stiffened, but after a few seconds started sobbing again, and threw her arms around me, squeezing tight.

"I'm sorry about what I said." I murmured, patting her back.

Piper sniffled "I'm sorry too."

We broke apart, both red-eyed and tear painted before I shyly smiled. "You wanna talk about it?"

Piper let out a chuckle, glancing over at me. "After everything, I've put you through the past few years, and you wanna talk about it?"

I shrugged. "Girl talk isn't my specialty, my only 'girly' friend's been gone for a while." Piper beamed.

"You think she might be back for good now?"

I shrugged again, smiling back.

"I dunno. That's up to her."

"You got any wipes? This could take a while, and I'm sick of this makeup."

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

We talked for hours. The sun had set by the time we finally stopped talking. We had cried a lot, laughed a little, and finally were still sitting her, leaning up against each other.

"I missed this," Piper said, sighing happily.

"Me too. It's good to have you back Pipes."

"We're really trying to save the world huh?"

I nodded. "Definitely seems that way. And the boys are pretty legit."

"I'm Lust? Figures, I've been a total slut."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Piper. You're a good person, you were just…" Piper gave me a disbelieving look. "Yeah, you were kind of a slut."

Piper and I just laughed.

"So how did you get mixed up with all those Empousa anyways?"

Piper leaned back up against the wall, eyes closed.

"It started last year. I was hanging out with Drew all the time, and all the sudden she started vanishing, hanging out with some new clique who had moved here. I didn't know it back then, but they were Empousa. They did some crazy things, they really pushed Drew, made her do all these sick, sexual things. And for a while, it seemed alright, but then they just… I dunno, lost interest in her. They started getting angry with her, saying that it wasn't working, that she wasn't good enough. And all of the sudden they were all over me, and, well, you know how that ended up. We've been hanging out ever since."

I let out a whistle. Connected for almost a year? This was going to be impossible, how was I supposed to help her? The same way Luke helped me. The answer was easy, the solution, on the other hand, wasn't. Luke had manipulated me into risking everything for my hoard, only to lose it all and see just how far I had fallen.

In premise, it should have been simple to do something similar for Piper. But the problem was that it was harder to show. The effects of Greed were fast and easy to see. Lust was harder to show, it took longer to be seen. Luke would probably have thrown Piper into the middle of some orgy or worse, then completely humiliated her, try and scare her straight.

But I don't think that would work. Piper knew her mistakes, she had chosen this life aware of the consequences right now. But what about the consequences later on? I could see what would happen to her if the Empousa had their way. I could see her, withered and pathetic, living in some crack apartment, barely even a ghost of her former self.

I could see it so clearly, see the life of my friend that the monsters had destroyed. My gut tugged, and my vision blurred as I brooded. Something was happening around us now, the room was slowly changing.

The walls cracked, the paint chipped and faded, the lights flickered feebly, discolored and broken. The room shrank, the closet door creaked and fell off. Pipers loud squeak made me look up, taking in the change. The room had morphed, changing into a familiar scene. It was funny, it looked just like… just like the room I had been picturing.

The tug in my gut pulsed, and suddenly the room shifted back for a split second, before switching back to my mind. No way. Had I done this too? What even was this? I glanced over to gauge Piper's reaction, only to recoil in shock.

Piper was gone. An older woman with ratted, dirty brown hair, wrinkled, leathery skin, teeth yellowed from cigarettes, body used and abused by drugs and by others. It was the Piper I had just been picturing. Piper gave me a weird look.

"What? I didn't do this, I swear! I don't even-"

Piper stopped talking, alarm flashing across her face as she grasped at her throat. The voice that had come out of her mouth wasn't her own. It was low, cracked and raspy. She tried talking again, and I got over my own surprise. No, I had absolutely no clue how I was doing this. But while it was happening, I was going to milk it for everything it was worth.

"You should go check yourself out in the mirror."

Piper gave me a confused look, but followed my advice and bolted for the bathroom. Ruined dresses, dirty towels, empty makeup containers, used pregnancy tests, and what looked like a shattered bong decorated the disgusting space, but Piper ignored them, staring at the thing she had become.

"What's happening?" Piper demanded, tears streaming down her ruined face.

"You're ruining your life, that's what's happening. I'm just showing you what's going to happen next."

I pulled up a memory, of my few lucid memories from the club. The room suddenly shifted, music blared and people popped into existence. For an instant I panicked, seeing the Siren onstage in this memory, screeching into the mike.

But it was just a memory, the music had all the appeal of a slug worm. The light around us seemed to fade, instead focusing on a cluster of tables and chairs near the center of the room. Piper and I watched as another Piper, this one made of memories, partied with the Empousa. Luke's orgy plan definitely would have failed, because Piper was practically already in one.

I actually blushed, looking away at some of the actions taking place, trying to hum out the sounds and sights of too much flesh. Drugs were being passed around to keep the party going, skin was being bathed in booze, and the other Piper was moaning and screaming in ecstasy. Piper covered her mouth, taking a step back.

"This happened. You might not remember it, but it did. You're destroying yourself, Piper, look at what you've turned yourself into!"

Mirrors appeared around Hazel, a wraparound view of her ruined appearance. Pain ripped through me, and I stumbled down. Around us, the illusion faded. The pain, on the other hand, didn't.

"It's time to change Piper. I know you don't want to end up like that. I know you want to feel again. You can do it."

For a second, Piper started to glow, a pink light coming out of her, starting to take a solid form, before Piper shook her head, taking another step back.

"I want to change. I really do Haze. But come on, that's an extreme. Just because I don't feel doesn't mean the worlds going to end."

I slouched down, letting out a sigh. Another failure.

"I still want to be your friend Haze. And I'm going to help you guys because I know you're right. But I just… I just can't. I'm sorry Hazel."

Piper came and sat down beside me.

"You okay?" I nodded silently.

"That's a pretty neat trick, think maybe you can teach me sometime?"

I forced a smile. "Sure. But only if you teach me how you control minds."

Piper let out a halfhearted laugh and was about to retort when the door slammed open. Percy stomped in, glancing down at us irritably.

"What's wrong?"

Percy shrugged. "The idiot's still missing, I can't find him. Any success on your end?" He asked hopefully.

I shook my head sadly, guiltily trying to avoid his gaze. I didn't want to give him more bad news.

"She tried though. I am sorry, I really am. Hazel even showed me what would happen, she did some magic or something and changed the room and everything to show me my future."

"Huh?"

"I think it's a new ability. I was just thinking about what was going to happen, and suddenly what was inside my head was outside."

"Hold on a second, you manipulated the Mist?"

I looked up in confusion to see Percy's surprised face.

"The Mist? I thought you said that's what kept normal folk from seeing our world."

"Yeah, but some of us have the ability to manipulate it, to change our world. Sheesh Haze, and you were worried you wouldn't have any power, that's two in one day!"

I blushed a little before we saw a light bulb go off in Percy's eyes.

"The Mist! You can help me find the idiot!"

"Excuse me?" Percy nodded excitedly.

"Monsters have certain traits, they leave different traces in the Mist to disguise themselves. A pack of Empousa hunting a demigod should stand out, even around here. If you really have the gift, you can find them!"

I nodded doubtfully, trying to ignore the pain in my gut.

"I don't know Percy. I don't know how it works, it just-"

"Just try it! Come on, what harm can it do? And if it doesn't work, oh well, we'll hunt them down some other way."

A hand grasped mine and squeezed supportively, Piper standing tall beside me.

"You can do it." She said. There was such certainty in her voice that I just couldn't argue.

"Alright. I'll try. What do I do?"

"I've only known one other person with the gift, a daughter of Zeus, afraid of heights. She would just kind of focus on all the monsters she'd ever met, and then she'd just get this… I don't know, a feeling. She'd just know. Just try thinking really hard about the Empousa, think about finding them as hard as you can."

Sounded easy enough. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and focused. Empousa. Demon women with fire for hair, blood red eyes, and the leg of a donkey and a robot. I only knew Kelli by name, but I could see the faces of the others. Where are they? Where?

My gut tugged, bringing back pain, but I ignored it. I could see something now. Through my closed eyes, I saw Luke, I saw him running, and saw flickers of buildings.

"Somewhere in town," I said.

The pain was becoming more intense, my head was pounding now. I tried to push past it. The pain suddenly sharpened, and I gasped as my head exploded in agony. When everything started coming back into focus, Percy and Piper were huddled over me.

"What happened?" I asked blearily.

"You pushed too hard, you've already spent too much energy today. I hadn't even thought about that, I'm sorry Haze."

"It's fine." I murmured, pushing myself to my feet.

Blood trickled from my nose, and I whipped it away.

"I almost had him, things were starting to look familiar. I'll try again. I'll be in and out, and then we'll go."

The other two quickly objected, but I just grabbed a chair to keep me steady and blocked them out, focusing again. The pain was instantaneous this time, the images blurring together. But I had to do this. The pain didn't matter, heroes put up with pain to save others. And I was a hero now. I could vaguely tell that the others were shaking me but I blocked them out. And then I got it.

"They're just off the main road by the skate park."

I fell into the chair. More blood was coming from my nose, and I was starting to doubt whether the pounding in my brain would ever cease, but I had done it. At least I had done something right tonight.

"I knew you could do it!" Piper cried happily, throwing me in a tight hug.

Percy smiled gently. "You're a little too much like me, you know that? Nice job Haze."

And then he was moving, rushing into the training room. He emerged a few seconds later with an armful of armor.

"Can I count on you?" He asked Piper with a serious look.

Piper looked at me uncertainly. I gave her a thumbs up. Piper turned back to Percy and nodded with conviction.

"Here's some armor, find your best fit and pick a weapon. Hazel, your stuff's right there. Move it people, Luke's in trouble!"

I scrambled, grabbing the armor Percy had been training me in and strapping my sword to my belt.

"You aren't always going to have the luxury of time in battle, sometimes you're not going to get armor or weapons. Right now, is one of those rare luxuries. Hazel, help Piper, I know where to go, catch up as soon as possible."

Percy ran out the door, and I went over to Piper who was indeed struggling with her armor. I hastily helped her strap it on before glancing at the table where Percy had laid a plethora of weapons.

"Pick one quick then let's get going!"

Piper paled anxiously, glancing over the weapons. She reached out for one, then another, before stopping herself.

"Come on Piper we have to go, you can exchange it later if you don't like it."

Piper grabbed a triangular dagger. The second she did, the blade glowed, and for a brief moment, Greek letters burned into existence on its surface. My mind clicked the words into English, the name 'Katoptris' coming off our lips. My sword hadn't done that.

"I'm ready!" She said confidently, grabbing my hand and pulling me out the door behind her.

We ran through town, armor jingling and jangling angrily.

"This stuff is heavy!" Piper complained as we got closer to the skate park. "Why wasn't Percy wearing any?"

"I told you, Percy's like some psycho crazy ninja warrior, I honestly don't know if he needs armor!"

We rounded the corner and screeched to a halt. The Empousa were everywhere, there had to be at least twenty or thirty of them. Percy was nearby, a whirlwind of motion, Riptide flashing brilliantly as he took on thirteen Empousa t once. But for all the fatal clashes and blasts of water and ice, the Empousa simply instantly reformed, rejoining the fray.

And then there was Luke, in the middle of everything, down in the basin. There was a circle of Empousa around him, trying to reach him, but for some reason, they couldn't. It was as then that I noticed the chalk circle, more of Hecate's magic protecting himself.

"You dare use our mother's magic against us?"

One of them screeched. But then Kelli came forward.

"It's a simple enchantment, simple but powerful. It prevents all but those with demigod blood from entering."

"But we're not demigods!" One of them cried before slamming up against Luke's makeshift barrier, hair flaring in torrid light.

"Well then it's convenient that I brought my little pet, now isn't it?"

Kelli smiled and motioned for someone in the crowd of Empousa to come forward. Piper gasped as Drew walked forward, smiling lecherously. The Empousa around her cackled as she bowed low.

"How can I help mistress?"

Kelli smiled down at her pet.

"That can't be her. This is another trick, isn't it?"

An Empousa on the outskirts suddenly noticed us and charged. Piper stayed frozen, but I stepped between her and the oncoming demon, taking a swing. She screamed, jumping back, a golden gash materializing from her right shoulder to her left hip, but then jumped right back in the next second.

Over my own fight, I heard Kelli say "Be a good little slave, now won't you? Mistress wants you to take this knife and plunge it into that _cheating manwhore's face!_ Be a dear and do that, won't you?"

Drew took the knife.

"She wouldn't do that! She's not some mindless sex slave! Stop it, Hazel!"

The Empousa backhanded me, and I sprawled on the ground.

"I'm not doing anything apart from trying to survive, and some help would be appreciated!" But Piper was fixedly staring down at Drew who was now strutting towards Luke.

"As you wish Mistress." She purred.

I kicked the Empousa in the gut and slashed at her neck. She exploded into golden dust and then started to reform almost instantly. Drew pounced at Luke, knife held out at an awkward angle. Luke deftly avoided her slash, carefully circling around, trying to stay inside the protective zone where he could. Drew slashed again, slicing through Luke's leather jacket.

He jumped back, and his arm passed over the barrier limits. The Empousa were on him in the blink of an eye, grabbing his sleeve and tugging him out of the circle while Drew came in with a killing blow. Luke managed to slip out of the jacket just in time, spinning Drew around and out of the circle.

The Empousa screamed in rage, tearing the jacket apart.

"Oh Kelli, don't be a bitch, that's my favorite jacket!"

Drew came back in, and Luke spun, kicking her legs out from under her and sending the knife flying. Drew fell to the ground at Kelli's feet, trembling.

"I failed you, Mistress. Forgive me."

Kelli looked down in disgust at the pitiful creature below her. Then a cunning smile spread across her fanged mouth.

"Maybe not pet. The barrier only needs demigod blood to pass through. You want to help me, right? You want to keep me happy, yes?"

Drew nodded eagerly. Kelli smiled and helped Drew to her feet.

"At least this way I get one last taste."

And then she sunk her fangs into Drew's neck. This wasn't some cute little Dracula scene with the pinpricks left on the victims with ketchup disguised as blood. It was so much worse. Kelli wrenched her head to the side, flesh ripping away, blood spurting everywhere, covering everything.

Drew fell to the ground, blood pouring out of what remained from her neck, life gone from her eyes. The Empousa around dove in, painting themselves in red, before rushing Luke, their new makeup letting them pass straight through the barrier.

Piper screamed in horror, and I stopped in my own terror. What had just happened? She wasn't actually dead, right? It didn't matter if I hated her guts, she had been alive, and now she was gone. This wasn't a game, the stakes in this hero business were real. As piper screamed, I saw Percy in the corner of my eyes freeze, saw him drop Riptide and convulse, covering his ears. The Empousa raced forward, charging the weakened Percy and the now vulnerable Luke.

"No!" Piper screamed.

Kelli turned around as the others went on, smiling a filthy, bloody smile.

"Glad you could come Piper darling. I just lost my old pet, and I know you'd be oh so happy to take her place."

Piper shook her head, backing away as Kelli advanced towards us.

"I promise that won't happen to you, we need you. Besides, if you are with us, what'll it matters? You won't remember it, you won't feel scared. You won't have to feel anything at all, everything can go back to the way it was before. Don't you want that?"

"I loved her," Piper said weakly. "She was my friend."

"Love is weakness" Kelli snarled "Lust is what you are, empty desire. You're as empty as I am, and it's time you accepted it!"

Piper shook her head, and suddenly the pink glow started to reappear. Kelli exploded with fear and rage, as she witnessed the light growing stronger and stronger.

"No." Piper cried.

The light got stronger and suddenly a luminescent neon pink beam shot out from her lips, shooting towards Kelli before splitting off, connecting to ever Empousa here.

"I don't want this!" Piper screamed "I don't want to be like her! I'm not empty!"

Kelli howled and pounced at Piper at the same second that Piper instinctively reached up and wrenched the beam out of her. The air shattered as every Empousa screeched and spasmed, stumbling before finally collapsing to the ground.

I saw Percy struggle to his feet, bloodied and bruised, a strangely haunted look on his face. Luke rushed out of the crowd of downed demons, helping support him before rushing over to us.

"One side people, this isn't going to last long!" He shouted, racing by with Percy in practically in his arms.

I glanced over as Piper started to teeter before I helped support her, setting a brisk pace back towards the others. I could hear the Empousa recovering, the brief backlash of the bond being shattered fading away. Halfway home. I could hear them behind us, hooves stomping, and metal clanging. We were in the parking lot now, Luke was throwing open the Shoebox door, and gently setting Percy down just inside before grabbing his sword and racing towards us.

"Run, run!"

He pushed past us and there was a shower of gold dust, followed by the most ferocious howls yet. We made it past the threshold and collapsed just past the door. Percy was hunched up, hands still over his ears, face pale. The haunted look was strange, somehow dark, it was something I had never seen in a person, and somehow, it scared me more than the hoard of Empousa racing Luke for the door ever could.

At the last possible second, Luke dived, the monsters right behind him, clawing at the air, before Luke slammed the door shut. The light reappeared on the door and window; the Shoebox's defenses were in place. And then the building began to shake.

One of them brought their robotic leg up to our window, the collision cracking the glass before it quickly repaired itself.

"Could really use you Perce!" Luke said.

Percy ignored him, staring at the floor, still out of it. Whatever was wrong in his head put him out of the count in this fight. Luke looked over to us, taking in the now unconscious Piper.

"Alright better get ready Hazel, looks like it's up to us for now. Get to you battle station girl, we're under siege!"

* * *

**Yeah, that really sucked.**


	12. Luxuria vs Castitas

**Luxuria vs Castitas**

Percy POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, The Shoebox**

 **16**  days,  **2**  hours,  **24**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe. All I could do was sit there and listen in silent agony as Piper's scream echoed around inside my head, dredging up the memories I had spent so long trying to forget. More screams answered the call of the first; so many screams, so many memories, so much pain, so much death, so much blood…

I could see Luke and Hazel trying to ward off the Empousa running from the door to the window, then back to the door, then the window, then the door, running in a never-ending cycle of golden dust and fiery pompoms I wanted to get up and help, to protect my friends from the bloodthirsty demon cheerleaders, but I was too numb to move. It was like I was watching TV, nothing I saw actually felt real. The screams in my head screeched to a whole new high, each agonized cry spawning a dozen more every second. Oh gods, what had I done?

So much death, so much blood… Something inside me coiled up, grinning at the misery and reveling in the dark memories.

 _ **Re**_ _mEM_ _ **beR**_ _tHa_ _ **t?**_ It whispered. _**D**_ _o Yo_ _ **u**_ _re_ _ **Me**_ _m_ _ **B**_ _er_ _ **w**_ _Ha_ _ **t**_ _y_ _ **O**_ _u_ _ **AR**_ _e?_ _ **D**_ _o_ _ **N'**_ _t_ _ **R**_ _e_ _ **JE**_ _ct_ _ **me**_ _._

No. I was different now, everything was. My past doesn't define me anymore, I was the one in charge. That's why I won't fail this time. I'm going to Redeem myself, not just for Olympus, but for myself. It's time for a clean slate.

 _ **Do**_ _n_ _ **'t LIE PeRs**_ _e_ _ **US. I've s**_ _ee_ _ **N your TR**_ _u_ _ **e ColoRs,**_ **i k** N **Ow wHo y** O **u ARe. YoU neEd mE. YOu WAnt tHe chA** O **s bAck. YoU W** aNt **YoUr po** We **r** ba **Ck. y** ou **Want yOUR** Fre **Edom.**

I don't need you, and I never did. I don't want the chaos, I'm calm now, I'm in control.

 _ **Y**_ _ou_ _ **R**_ _c_ _ **A**_ _lm_ _ **h**_ _i_ _ **D**_ _es_ _ **a**_ _s_ _ **T**_ _or_ _ **M**_.

Shut up! I won't give in again, I'm stronger than that now.

_W_ _**E** _ _we_ _**rE** _ _on_ _**L** _ _y_ _**s** _ _tr_ _**O** _ _n_ _**g w** _ _he_ _**N w** _ _e_ _**W** _ _ere_ _**ONE.** _

No.

_**ACce** _ _pT_ _**me,** _ _dO_ _**n'** _ _T d_ _**Eny WHo yOu aRe, what I aM.** _

I'm one of the good guys now, I'm a hero. I will never walk that path again.

_Bu_ _**t** _ _w_ _**iT** _ _h_ _**m** _ _e_ _**Y** _ _o_ _**u** _ _w_ _**I** _ _l_ _**L** _ _h_ _**A** _ _ve yo_ _**UR** _ _**FR** _ _EE_ _**DOM. K** _ _ro_ _**NoS** _ _w_ _**il** _ _l_ _**F** _ _a_ _**L** _ _l a_ _**N** _ _d r_ _**EV** _ _en_ _**G** _ _e w_ _**ilL B** _ _e o_ _**uR** _ _s._ _**Le** _ _t m_ _**E C** _ _om_ _**E** _ _b_ _**a** _ _c_ _**K.** _

I got rid of you for a reason.

Do you really think you'll ever have your Redemption? After all the things we did together? _y_ _ **O**_ _u kn_ _ **OW wH**_ _at_ thEy'lL sAy. **MORe tHAn tHat,** _Yo_ _ **U**_ _k_ _ **N**_ _ow_ _ **YO**_ _u ca_ _ **N'**_ _t_ _ **D**_ _o t_ _ **H**_ _is a_ _ **L**_ _onE, n_ _ **oT**_ _wi_ _ **T**_ _h th_ _ **A**_ _t_ _ **C**_ _a_ _ **S**_ _t_ _ **E**_ _l_ _ **L**_ _a_ _ **N**_ _b_ _ **R**_ _at_ _ **A**_ _nd t_ _ **H**_ _e_ Di Angelo _b_ _ **Oy**_ _h_ _ **ER**_ _e._

My breath caught in my throat.

 _ **O**_ _h Ye_ _ **S,**_ Nico. _**M**_ _a_ _ **Y**_ _b_ _ **e**_ _h_ _ **E'**_ _d s_ _ **T**_ _ill ha_ _ **V**_ _e h_ _ **I**_ _s si_ _ **S**_ _te_ _ **R**_ _i_ _ **F**_ _ **I**_ _t we_ _ **RE**_ _n_ _ **'T**_ _fo_ _ **R**_ _yo_ _ **U**_ _. Y_ _ **O**_ _u re_ _ **A**_ _d_ _ **H**_ _is f_ _ **IL**_ _e,_ _ **Y**_ _ou sa_ _ **W**_ _ **J**_ _u_ _ **S**_ _t_ _ **H**_ _ow mu_ _ **CH**_ _y_ _ **o**_ _u s_ _ **CRE**_ _w_ _ **eD**_ _ **U**_ _p h_ _ **I**_ _s li_ _ **F**_ _e. I c_ _ **A**_ _n h_ _ **EL**_ _p yo_ _ **U**_ _d_ _ **E**_ _al wi_ _ **T**_ _h t_ _ **H**_ _a_ _ **T**_ _. I_ _ **C**_ _an hel_ _ **P**_ _y_ _ **O**_ _u t_ _ **H**_ _ro_ _ **UG**_ _h a_ _ **LL**_ _thi_ _ **S**_ _._ _ **Yo**_ _u are_ _ **N'T**_ _ **COMPLETE**_ _wi_ _ **TH**_ _o_ _ **U**_ _t m_ _ **E anD vIcE VErsA**_ _. Le_ _ **T**_ _ **M**_ _e_ _ **IN.**_

No.

_Ac_ _**C** _ _ep_ _**T** _ _w_ _**H** _ _o_ _**Y** _ _ou a_ _**R** _ _e._

No!

_**U** _ _n_ _**LE** _ _a_ _**S** _ _h th_ _**E** _ _s_ _**T** _ _or_ _**M!** _

"No!" I screamed defiantly, my mind sharpening to crystal clarity.

Power surged through me as I leapt to my feet, hands trained on the window and door. I didn't even have to will it out at this point, my power burst into existence, the earth trembling, the wind howling to life, and massive twin jets of water erupting from my outstretched palms.

The walls around the door and window were pulverized as the water found its mark, ripping the outer Shoebox apart and turning the advancing waves of Empousa to dust. Luke and Hazel took cover as the ground kept shaking, cracks and fractures ripping through the cold concrete floors and the parking lot while the wind started to pick up to a deafening scream, lampposts shaking and trees starting to bend.

Too much power, I had to reign it back. It was more of a struggle that I wanted to admit. They fought back, trying to rip out to, to take away the pain. I wanted to say I was just out of practice that; it was because I was out of shape with my powers, that was why it was difficult to calm the gale and rampant tremors.

But that was a lie. I don't think I've ever felt so alive and in tune with my powers. It was like I was on a hundred sugar rushes all at once, or holding onto the end of a live wire; I was practically overflowing.

This hurricane inside me wanted out, and I wanted to let it. After four years of having my powers bound and robbed, they were all too eager to come out and play. If I wasn't careful I'd end up right back where I started, maybe even worse.

_YoU_ _**cAN't reSisT** _ _mE Fo_ _**R** _ _e_ _**Ver** _ _._ _**sOOner or laTer** _ _yo_ _**u'** _ _Re goI_ _**N** _ _g tO_ _**nE** _ _ed_ _**M** _ _e. t_ _**He** _ _n_ _**yO** _ _U'_ _**l** _ _l A_ _**C** _ _ce_ _**pT** _ _w_ _**H** _ _o_ _**Yo** _ _u aRe. Go_ _**oN** _ _, go pLay_ _**aNd** _ _B_ _**E** _ _tHe_ _**pU** _ _Ppet_ _**THey** _ _n_ _**Eed You to** _ _be. I'Ll_ _**bE** _ _wa_ _**IT** _ _inG_ _**. An** _ _D_ _**w** _ _HE_ _**n** _ _tH_ _**e** _ _y'_ _**V** _ _e_ _**brOkeN aLL yoU** _ _H_ _**o** _ _ld deAr_ _**A** _ _N_ _**d** _ _cUt_ _**anD** _ _**TAnGled All of youR st** _ _RinG_ _**s, I'Ll** _ _Be tHeRe_ _**to fiX yO** _ _U uP_ _**AnD m** _ _Ak_ _**E yOu** _ _WH_ _**olE.** _

"Fall back!" I heard Kelli command, here and her sisters vanishing into the night.

I took a shaky breath, before slowly sinking back to the ground. There weren't any monsters trying to kill us. I wasn't a ticking time bomb of demigod power. The Shoebox was still in one piece. I wasn't crazy.

More lies, too many to swallow.

What was I thinking? How was I supposed to get Redemption after the things I had done, after what I had become? I wasn't a hero, I hadn't been one in a long time.

"Percy?" Hazel asked hesitantly.

My eyes darted to the closet where Hazel and Luke were slowly starting to emerge. I threw on a weak smile, trying to pull myself together enough to tell them everything was okay, that we were safe.

Luke whistled as he kicked some of the debris that had been our walls, "You know, I'm starting to realize why I can't have nice things."

I rolled my eyes before leaning back, pushing a hand through my hair.

"I might have gone a little overboard."

Hazel raised her eyebrows, surveying the carnage in silence. "Really, you think? Well since you made the mess you get to clean it all up. I'm starved, you hungry Haze?"

Luke pushed Hazel away into the kitchen, all without a backward glance. I closed my eyes, trying not to think about everything that was going on. Luke still had me pegged, he remembered what to do after I got violent. I guess I had to give the moron some credit, even if he had ruined my life beyond all comprehension.

I needed Annabeth here, she would understand. But once she was this, there wouldn't be any going back. I needed to keep her involvement in all this a secret for as long as possible. As long as she was alright I still had a lifeline, someone who could help me chase my demons away.

Maybe I should pay a visit to my Wise Girl now, just to make sure I was okay, just to make sure things weren't as grim as they appeared. Speaking of grim… My hands clenched into fists in my hair, guilt gnawing at me. I wasn't going to listen to the lies I was being force fed, but one thing had definitely been true.

I had screwed up Nico.

I had been certain they would listen to me that they could escape, that the price I had paid to save him and his sister would equal out. But I could still remember finding his sister, Bianca, in Medusa's clutches, and I could still remember seeing his face in the flames after the slaughter. He didn't have all the pieces, he didn't know what I had done- no, the looks I've seen on his faces showed he knew exactly what I had done. But he didn't know why! It was the only way…

No! My mind screeched to a halt at that simple sentence, desperately trying to backtrack even as memories started waking up again. I didn't want another trip down memory lane, not when it was paved with all my sins and mistakes. How long had I relied on that excuse, that it was the only way?

Angry tears started to form in my eyes, which only made things worse, the hot liquid feeling far too much like blood for my liking.

"Dad…" I whispered, trying to hold back the aching sobs in my chest. "I don't think I'm strong enough for this. It's too much. I'm already falling apart. I thought… I thought I could hold on but… I'm scared."

The unwanted sobs started breaking through, my chest heaving as I hung my head, burning tears trailing down my cheeks.

No answer came as I sat there, only the temporary silence in my own head. After a few minutes, I took a deep breath, pulling myself together. I didn't need that answer. I was here to make up for the things I had done, and if I wanted to do that then I had to work for it. Yeah, it was going to be hell, but I was the only one who could fix me.

"Thanks, dad."

Sometimes unanswered prayers were the best kind you could get. I pushed myself up and stretched. Enough gloom and doom, I had some walls that needed fixing and coven of Empousa to who weren't going to kill themselves. Well, probably not anyway. Monsters weren't exactly the most altruistic of types, and I had seen some pretty weird stuff going on in Kronos' army.

A sudden breeze wafted through the air, thick with the smell of the sea, and I smiled, breathing in the delicious scent. When I opened my eyes, I laughed, not able to pull out any other emotions as relief and comfort flooded me. The Shoebox was fixed.

All the debris had been swept away, the fractures had been smoothed out, and the wall and door had been replaced. The panels were lined with old driftwood and seashells, and everything was coated in a thick coat of paint, the colors of the ocean splayed out across our home now.

I reached out, caressing the smooth surface, fingers trailing over the shells covering the window pane. My eyes caught movement outside, to a figure in a navy cloak with silver markings. Luminescent golden eyes glared out at me from under a dark hood, the rest of their being shrouded in darkness. I just turned away, humming to myself as I walked back to the kitchen. I had time. I didn't need to worry about ol' gold eyes just yet.

"You look awfully jolly," Hazel commented as she dug into a dry looking sandwich.

"No kidding. Who gave you the happy drugs and where can I get some?" Luke tossed me a sandwich before sniffing the air and scrunching up his nose. "Sheesh, you stink. What'd you do?"

"Nothing. I just have the best dad ever."

Luke frowned, leaning forward to spy past me towards the entrance. "Son of a… guess daddy dearest still spoils you rotten."

I bit down a response while Hazel took a look of her own. "Whoa! Your dad did that? Can all our parents do stuff like that, stuff to help us out I mean?"

"They can, and they don't," Luke said dryly, frowning as his sandwich turned to gold in his hands.

"They do help us, they just only use theirs powers like this when we really need it." I offered. I had to contradict almost everything Luke said about the gods nowadays, I didn't want Hazel to end up getting brainwashed the same way I had.

Hazel nodded understandingly at my explanation, but Luke didn't seem convinced, giving me a dry glare.

"And you really needed your daddy to give you a half job home makeover?"

I took a deep breath, rolling my eyes. " _Anyways_. We've got bigger issues and the longer we wait, the more time Kronos has to prepare. For starters, where's Piper?"

Hazel jerked her head back towards the bedroom with a simple "She's still passed out, but alright apart from that."

"Good, she'll probably be out for a while. Now we can focus on the Empousa. Hazel, do you remember where thy hang out? I don't think they'll risk going back to the club right now, now when they're vulnerable."

Hazel frowned, trying to remember before shaking her head. "I've got nothing. Like I told you, I got thrown out after Piper went to the dark side. If anyone knows it would be Piper, but I don't think we have time to wait for her to wake up."

"And besides" Luke cut in "We've got bigger problems. We had to have dusted those suckers at least a dozen times apiece. I thought you said once we broke the link we could kill them."

"That's because we didn't have the symbol up. As long as Tartarus isn't active in our world, they can reform as much as they want. Did you seriously already forget that part?"

"Well, why you didn't slap up the symbol after Pipe's broke her link? You had it covered, all you had to do was draw that stupid thing and we could have been in the clear!"

I didn't because I couldn't, not after that scream. But like hell was I going to tell him that, especially not with Hazel around. I jumped as Hazel put her hand comfortingly on my shoulder, giving a defiant look towards Luke.

"Don't blame him. I don't know what this whole symbol nonsense thing you guys are one about, but I do know you both had your hands full keeping Piper and I safe. Let's get a move on and figure out how we get you guys to the monsters."

Hazel glanced back and forth between us, grinning when we nodded, albeit grudgingly on Luke's part. She pulled our one of our maps of the town and laid it out on the counter, pulling a sharpie out of the drawer and started. "Alright. We're trying to find a band of soul-sucking demoness hussies. You guys know monsters; what are Empousa like?"

Luke and I exchanged a skeptical look before I spoke up.

"Well, they're bad tempered divas who like to suck men's souls out. I didn't exactly stick around to find out more about them."

Hazel nodded, uncapping the sharpie and starting to cross buildings off the map.

"Okay, they're divas; that means they're going to have some over the top lair, probably something fancy."

"Something with a lot of windows and mirrors." Luke threw in.

More buildings were crossed off.

"They aren't crazy about heights, they flat out refused to ride dracons and pegasi or cross any big drops." I murmured, trying to remember my few encounters with the Empousa.

They were infiltrators, I rarely saw them when I was serving Kronos. I had been too valuable a pawn to have exposed without having a group of my former master's cronies shadowing me to ensure my safety. Or more likely to make sure I wasn't trying to run away.

"No heights." Hazel nodded, crossing off most of downtown now.

Luke thought for a minute again before saying "There won't be anyone living near them. They put up all kinds of whacky enchantments to make sure they have their space. They only like company if they can entertain the girls or be on the menu."

That sounded about right. I hadn't met Kelli or any of her brood, but the chicks I had known were spot on with what he said.

"They're daughters of Hecate. They'll have a lot of sigils set up around. And the place will stink like sulfur and herbs and stuff."

"You're right!" Luke exclaimed, a look of distaste spreading across his features "Whenever I came over the place reeked. Another reason why I broke up with the old battle ax, just breathing in their made me nauseous. Well, there was that and the fact that she tried to castrate and sacrifice me to her dark goddess."

I tried to suppress a smile at the thought. Luke's junk was some of his most prized possessions, hopefully, the loss would knock him down a peg or two. Luke glared at me, opening his mouth to object when Hazel tossed down the sharpie.

"With what y'all told me, I think I found some places that fit the bill. There's the Venus Suites," she tapped a hotel just down the street from Half-Blood Swag "The Andromeda Spa," a small building on the farthest edge of town, "And finally, The Duchess. It's a, um… private 'party' house if you catch my drift." Hazel tapped down on a building on the other side of town. We scrutinized the map for a while before all speaking at once.

"Definitely the spa." Luke started.

"I'd say the suites, it's near the club, close to their food." Hazel countered.

I just shook my head, tapping the last one.

"It has to be the Duchess, it's the closest place to Othrys Junkyard, which means it's the easiest to defend."

The other two weren't very receptive.

"They were way to close, they'd have to be at the suites. I mean, where else would they get their midnight snacks?"

"No, I know Kelli, she's at the spa, kicking back until the last minute possible. And besides, the spa always stinks, and just because it's a spa they can get away with it, say it's part of some new skin relaxation treatment or whatever."

"But the Venus cooks stink up the place too, and the gas they use smells just like sulfur, you can't deny that it's a possibility."

"Hazel, you just don't get rich girls, she's going to be-"

"She's in town!" I cut in, silencing them both "The problem right now is that all three sound like good options."

"No, they don't!" They protested in unison.

"It's the spa!" Luke insisted.

Hazel gave a huff, "No, the suites! The spa's too far off, and besides the Duchess doesn't even have full service."

"She's right Perce, Kelli wouldn't go for it" Luke affirmed, "It sounds too bratty, even for her."

"I'm not going to argue with you guys. We have our places, we're just going to go. I say we split off and scan the buildings if we find anything we'll call."

Hazel nodded, pulling out her phone, only to have Luke snatch it away, eyes glittering.

"This is a phone?" He asked, fiddling with the buttons, eyes going wide as he played with the screen.

"Uh, yeah?" Hazel cast me a confused look.

"He was locked up for ten years. Cell phones were still plastic flip up bricks in his day."

Music suddenly screeched out from her speaker, and Luke started, eyes going wide.

"Gods, this is incredible! Seriously, it's got everything; it's a computer, a messenger, a Gameboy, it has music, and it even has the internet. Whoa, that go big. Oh, hey look, porn."

Hazel snatched back her phone, muttering under her breath about having to burn her memory chip now.

"I so want one of those." Luke smiled hungrily at the device.

"Well, then it's your lucky day."

I jogged back into our room where Piper was still sound asleep.

"I promise he won't hurt it! Probably!" I whispered as I tugged her phone out of her purse.

Luke grinned as I tossed him it with a quick "Don't you dare break it" before turning back to the map.

"Hazel and I will check out the Duchess and Venus Suites, Luke, you'll take the Andromeda. If you see anything, Hazel's number's already in there, just call us and we'll come running. Don't charge in or do anything stupid, got it blondie?"

"What you're saying is, don't do anything you would do?" Luke said with a smirk.

"Shut up," I muttered, heading for the door.

"What about Piper chief?" Hazel asked as she caught up.

Oh right, the passed girl in the back.

"She should be alright. We won't be gone long, and we'll throw up a few extra wards before we go. Luke, go grab the-"

"Already got it," Luke said, brandishing Hecate's chalk.

Hazel gave it a dubious look as we stepped outside, scrawling a few new figures into the door. "But they barely stood up when the Empousa attacked, what if somebody else comes?"

Hazel's worried eyes flashed to the door, probably imagining all the horrors that could come to her sleeping friend. If only she knew. Actually, it was probably better that she didn't.

I shook my head saying "She'll be fine. The Empousa were able to rattle around because they're born of magic, they make it glitch out. Unless Kronos has a few Telekhines he's willing to throw at us or an actual kid of Hecate, she should be safe."

"Besides," Luke added as he finished etching the last symbol "We'll be gone a half hour tops. We left you alone for almost three whole hours, what's the worst that could happen?"

Why did those six words have to exist? Hazel still looked like she wanted to object, but she decided to keep it to herself as we made our way through the parking lot.

"I call taking Miriam." Luke declared as he hopped into Midas' former car.

"You named it?" Hazel asked in disbelief.

Luke nodded, lovingly caressing the now almost entirely golden steering wheel.

"She's the new love of my life. She's gorgeous, comfortable, wild, can outrun the police, and did I mention the cup holders? Trust me, this relationship will last forever."

Hazel shook her head snickering and turned back around to look at our other options. While her back was turned, Luke's smile dropped, tossing me the pebble-sized remnant of chalk and tapping out, _that's the last we got_. I nodded grimly, carefully pocketing the last piece. Hecate chalk didn't last long if you used it right. Magic and Mist wise we were out of luck. Unless Hazel suddenly started dishing out more mystic voodoo stuff. Which would be utterly wicked right about now.

"Miriam and I have a date; we'll see you losers there." Luke started up the car, beaming as the engine purred to life.

"And if you're wrong and you end up coming to us?"

"Oh please, when have I ever been wrong?"

I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you want that list in alphabetical or chronological order?"

Luke flipped me off, peeling out of the parking lot, tires screeching as he whipped around the corner and vanished out of sight.

"I think Miriam's a little out of his league," I admitted, making Hazel smirk as I joined her.

She nodded solemnly, hiding a smile and adding "She'll probably dump him by the end of the week, fake blowing a gasket to sneak away. He'll cry, eat lots of ice cream, and swell up like a balloon."

I had to crack up at that, laughing freely at the thought.

"Don't get my hopes up." I managed, trying to sober up between chuckles.

Haze just grinned leading the way to an unlocked car. We rummaged around inside for a few minutes, trying to find the keys before Hazel just hopped up in the driver's seat, half obscured from view. A second later, the car coughed to life, and she sat back, triumphantly sliding the seatbelt down.

"How did you-"

"Pipe's and I might have used her dad to get out of trouble one time when we did something. It was a small little thing, just a blip on our permanent records. Just a minor case of grand theft auto."

"You little felon!" I winked "I didn't even learn that stuff when I was out on the streets."

Hazel frowned, eyes going back to mine. Wrong thing to say. I couldn't remember if I had told her about the years I had been homeless. She was going to call me out now, all that trust I had built up would come crashing down.

"You're weird, you know that?"

Alright, I'll admit I wasn't expecting that.

"The good weird" Hazel clarified "But still weird."

"Gee thanks."

"No, it's a good thing. It actually reminds me of Nico-before he decided to turn into a jerk I mean."

I flinched at the thought. I didn't want anyone to be like me, especially Nico. Time to change the subject. "How is it a good thing?"

Dang it, my mouth wasn't working. What had happened to changing the subject?

"Well you both have your secrets, and you have pasts you don't like talking about. I know enough to piece together what you were doing back then, but there's always more. And whenever I try and push to find out, you both clam up. But it's okay."

"How is that okay?" Cutting ourselves off, burning the past, lying and denying; that didn't exactly spell out 'okay' to me.

"It's what makes you who you are. If you hadn't been through whatever you did, you wouldn't be the people you are. Sure, I wish you would tell me so I could try and understand, but I don't have to. You guys are good."

"You might want to guess again, the other 99% of the universe disagrees with you."

Hazel just snorted, shifting into drive and heading down the street.

"I'm a teenager Percy. I'm always right, no matter what the universe thinks. And If you'll pardon my French, the universe can suck it."

You couldn't argue with that logic. I laid my head back, closing my eyes and smiling to myself as we drove along.

"I take it Luke's been talking to you about our past then?"

Hazel nodded. "I knew you were together; I knew most of what he said. Just some things didn't seem to fit. Like you crushing on him.

"We were different people back then. Things changed. And now when I see him…"

"You want to slap him?" Hazel offered.

"Nah, only most of the time."

"Kiss him?"

I shook my head violently at that, cringing internally at the thought. "Oh hell no. That ended when he stabbed me in the back. I was in love with someone else anyways."

"To who?" Hazel asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Steel gray, electric blue, and darkening brown flashed past my eyes before I banished the thoughts and shook my head.

"Spoilers," I whispered with a grin, hopping out.

The Venus Suites looked deserted as we approached, a lonely arched building with a pink domed roof and heart shaped windows. I drew out Riptide, flipping the pen over my hand, keeping Hazel behind me as we went.

Bringing her here when she could barely fight hadn't been a good idea, I couldn't risk her getting hurt. At least I should have given her armor. And a sword. Ah Hades, had I seriously forgot to actually prepare for this? Nobody had armor, Hazel only had her nascent abilities, and I don't think Luke had even bothered grabbing a sword.

"Maybe you should go wait in the car," I whispered back to her.

"But I- I mean I think I could handle myself this time, at least a little. I want to help. And if any of them get close I could just hide with the Mist or smack them with metal like Midas, or stab them-"

"With what?"

Hazel reached for her belt, her hand groping for her absent sword.

"I must have left it back in the… Oh. We're idiots, aren't we?"

"You have no idea."

Hazel cautiously made her way back to the car while I peeked through the front window. It was a ghost town inside, the lights flickering, furniture overturned, and not a person (or monster) to be found. Aphrodite, Venus, whatever, would be ticked once she found out that something bearing such an _hono_ r as having her name was trashed. That didn't seem right, just more evidence that this was the wrong joint. Well, I might as well make sure.

I started around the building and around to the back entrance. I threw open the dumpster, glancing around for signs of their life or magic, but it was just all trash, literally. A sniff near the vents confirmed my suspicions. Nothing to smell, no sulfur, no herbs. Nothing was being vented out, they weren't here. Something rattled behind me and I snapped into action, bounding away and unsheathing Riptide.

"Easy there Seaweed Brain!" Hazel yelped, backtracking out of sword range.

"I thought you were going back to the car." I flipped Riptide over my hand a few dozen times, trying to calm my battle nerves.

"The car doesn't have a sword and attitude. You do."

"Touché." I muttered, pulling her out of the light.

Hazel pulled her jacket close, glancing up at the building. "What's the verdict?"

I shook my head "Nope. If they had been here we'd have seen a sign, something to prove it."

Hazel sighed in disappointment.

"Stop looking glum. You think we could have narrowed down where they were hiding without you?"

Hazel just shook her head. "I know, it's just… You guys just showed me this whole new world, and I just feel like I can't do anything in it yet. It's like giving a kid a lollipop the size of their head and telling them they can't touch it yet because it's too big."

"Just a little longer Haze." I tried to fake a smiled as I led the way to the car.

Hazel was ready by my standards. Ability and skills came later, all she needed to be able to do now was survive. I just hoped she'd give me enough time to get her there. She was a little to adventures for her own good, not that Luke and I really did anything to dissuade that.

We had barely gone a block towards the Duchess when Hazel's phone went off. We froze for a second before Hazel hit the brakes and hit speaker phone.

"Luke?"

"Who else? Dude, this phone thing is awesome, do you realize how many apps they have? There's one for everything!"

I face palmed while Hazel rolled her eyes again. "Did you find anything?"

"First, I just want to take a moment and say that I was totally right, I am never wrong!"

"They're at the Andromeda?" Hazel asked, turning the car around and hitting the gas.

Something screeched in the background, followed by loud crashes.

"Luke, what's going on?"

Luke chuckled nervously saying "Oh right, I almost forgot the second part. You remember how you said not to do anything stupid? Well, I might have-"

There was another screech right next to the phone, Luke's garbled curses and bellows, and then the light went dead.

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Luke POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Andromeda Spa**

 **16** days, **1** hours, **57** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

If you've never been near smelling salts, you're lucky. You get a whiff of the wrong ones and your head goes on a spin cycle to Hades and back. Not to mention how it burns your nose like a cup of boiling lead. You can imagine how fantastic it was to come to, to those wonderfully agonizing odors.

I snapped up, eyes screwed shut and choking, trying to sit up only for my arms to jerk to a stop, a metallic clinking shooting through the room. I opened my blurry eyes, trying to focus through the haze. Demigod instincts kicked in, questions like 'where am I', 'where the hell are my pants', 'what happened', and 'why does my head feel like someone shoved in a handful of firecrackers'?

The answers slowly came to me as I tried to sit up again, noting how I was chained down to a stone bench in the middle of a Greek style bath house. Right, I'd found the Empousa. Well, more like they found me. After parking Miriam down the street, I had snuck around the side of the white marble and glass building, catching sight of them through one of the many windows. That's when one of them came up behind me with a bucket of fresh eye of newt or something. The alert had sounded, I ran, realized I didn't have a sword, and long story short, I'd been caught and knocked out.

As for where my clothes were… well, this wasn't exactly the first the first time I'd woken up butt naked and chained down. Oh, good times. I stiffened as a hand started ruffling through my hair, looking back to find Kelli, wrapped in a ceremonial toga, smelling salts in one hand, a knife at her belt.

"Glad you woke up sweetie. Now we can get started." She purred, petting my head for a while before pacing forward.

Her bare feet tapping echoed ominously through the room as she made her way to the door. I shot up as far as my bonds would let me, taking in the environment. The room was simple, a huge glass domed area with white pillars. The outermost edge of the room was a filled pool, with the middle stretched being smooth tile, massage tables, flower beds, more benches, steam pots, and a fountain just a few feet behind me that seemed to double as a hot tub.

There was only one door, the same door that Kelli was currently making her way towards now. There were bound to be reinforcements on the other side of it, and once they were in, escape would be slim. If I managed to slip out of these chains I could probably book it and risk smashing through one of the windows to escape.

I tried to lean down, holding my chains lose, only for the middle links to collapse in on themselves, pulling the chain tighter. Okay, that could be a tad problematic.

I was still struggling as Kelli threw open the doors calling out "Come sisters, and let the ritual begin!"

Oh goodie. A ritual. Our last 'ritual' had been the real deal breaker in our relationship, something involving sacrificing me for the glory and power of the Titan Lord. After I found out that I was the one who was going to be sacrificed, I decided it was probably a good time to hightail it out of there.

A dull pounding began as the Empousa slowly filed in, those responsible for the droning notes beating drums and chanting with inhumanly low voices. All wore the same ceremonial toga as Kelli, their faces ranging from beautiful cover-girls to revolting demonesses.

The procession made its way to me, circling my bench with the drummers and chanters on the outermost edge, the majority of girls before them carrying strange bags, then four girls wielding unlit torches, and finally Kelli, who leered down at me from the other end of my bench.

"You know if you wanted to get me naked again you didn't have to go through all this trouble." I quipped, faking a smile, pretending that I had everything under control.

Confidence can save lives, and there was a reason I'd lived this long. It was hard to kill the guy who could practically talk a bullet out of shooting him. One of the few perks I got from being a son of Hermes. Not that I liked thinking about that part.

Dad's silver tongue was the whole reason why I had grown up a lonely kid born out of wedlock to an unmarried mother in an overly devout Christian family. That tongue of his was why mom and I had been called 'that hussy Jezebel' and 'her bastard', it was why we had been thrown out onto the streets, it was why mom had resorted to alcohol to wash away the pain.

His silver tongue was why mom started getting violent, why she started throwing things, why she killed herself; he was why I'd run away.

I'd used that tongue myself plenty of times. I'd used it to get away from monsters, to get past guards, to steal the god's weapons. I'd even used it on Percy.

I cringed unintentionally at the thought, remembering how easily he'd eaten up my lies, how eagerly he was to please, to prove himself. I didn't want to, but I could feel regret already clawing at me. I really did care about the idiot, even if he was the whole reason why I'd got caught- no. I was responsible for that. I'd been the one who got lazy.

I'm the one who pushed Percy into Kronos' arms, intentional or not. Screwed up as the world had made me, maybe I'd screwed up the only person who actually cared about me even more. What was I thinking? I had been so desperate, so determined to get my dream.

It had never really been about the drachmas or the cash. I hadn't cared how valuable the god weapons were, how much power I could have had. All I'd wanted was for the bastard who made me a bastard to notice me. I just wanted some acknowledgment, something, anything.

That's the real reason why I'd been willing to betray the kid; maybe that was why it had been simple to wrap him around my finger and worshiping me. Because his dad had tried to find him. When Percy had been homeless his dad had searched for him. He had sent out signs to try and find Percy when he lived with me too, trying to get his attention, to find his son.

The first time I noticed the sea trying to call out to Percy I'd moved us inland as fast as possible. Gods had an infamous tendency to abuse their kids. I didn't want the little pain to get in danger. But the more Poseidon searched the angrier I got. What made Percy special? Why couldn't my dad have done that when I ran away? Why couldn't he have sent signs, or just made sure that I was safe?

Jealousy had poisoned our relationship even though it had really just started. And now the past was in the past. There was no going back to the past. You couldn't go back and slug yourself, there was no telling them to be satisfied with what they had and convincing them to go have their happy ending with the boy who loved them and who they loved in return.

I was screwed, knowing how much I had broken Percy, with all this guilt pouring in right before I was about to get sacrificed and killed. Tartarus here I come. Hell, I could already feel the flames burning my soul, the guilt burning through me.

"Let the torches be lit! The heathen shall be sacrificed for us to regain the favor of the Night Mother, Hecate!"

The torchbearers murmured something under their breath, their torches lighting up in colors of gold, silver, green and blue. But they weren't the only one murmuring. Kelli froze, turning around and glaring at two girls who were whispering back and forth together.

"What are you two doing?" She demanded.

The girls froze, one of them giving the other a reassuring squeeze before stepping forward.

"Shouldn't we go take him to Kronos? He gave specific orders to do that if we caught them, especially if we found the Titans Wrath. He's already going to be angry that we tried to kill them earlier instead of sticking to the plan. I think we should-"

"You think?" Kelli scoffed "Your opinion doesn't matter here. I say we're sacrificing her to mother, and that's final."

The girl stepped back looking scared, only for a few other girls to step forward.

"No. We must obey Kronos; our Lord comes first." A proud looking demon girl countered.

Kellie growled, obviously unused to being upstaged.

"Serephone, I should have known you were behind this little coup. You!" Kelli pointed to one of the girls who hadn't stepped forward. "Apply the offering while I deal with them."

The girl hesitated, looking back and forth from Kelli to Serephone before Kelli gave a dangerous smile.

"Think about it this way. You can disobey a direct order from me and I can kill you and have another girl do your job, or you can do what you're told like a good little girl. Choose wisely."

The girl gulped, rushing forward and pulling out a small vial of a black liquid. She rubbed it on her fingers and started tracing symbols on my body, my skin going numb under her touch. Kelli went back to arguing with the other Empousa, shouting and yelling.

I just closed my eyes, trying to imagine myself back on that beach lying in a pile of money. I could see it now, the sand hot beneath me, the sun high in the sky, and Percy's clever fingers running across my skin. Whoa! My eyes snapped open, but for a single instant, the Empousa remained the Percy from my daydream. Ah hell. No, no, it wasn't like that. No. Percy wasn't even hot, let alone my type. This wasn't right. I didn't have feelings for him, I didn't want to see him.

Then why was I thinking about him like that? I shook my head, trying to get it to shut up about the son of Poseidon, only to groan as I saw him slowly making his way through the doors at the far end of the room. Was I seriously hallucinating into seeing him everywhere? But then I saw the pool water on the edge of the room creeping onto the tiles, surging forward towards the Empousa.

Kelli finally caught sight of him at the last second, letting out a warning cry before the water shot out, a tidal wave bursting up and swallowing the area. I managed to get in a gulp of air, screwing my eyes shut before the wave hit, the force ripping me up and down, my chains keeping me in place. I risked opening my eyes, the chlorine burning my eyes as I looked around.

We were all in a huge water drop, the Empousa whirling around in the current around me, unable to breach the surface, their flaming hair extinguished in their prison. The next second the water jerked to a stop, before pooling away. I gasped, falling flat against the bench as water rushed down past me, taking in eager breaths. Wet footsteps echoed through the room, and I managed to sit up, huffing and puffing, trying to brush my wet hair out of my already blurry eyes.

There was Percy standing only a few feet away, dry as ever. His hand was in the air, making slow circles as he glanced around. Confused I followed his gaze, only to crack a smile. The Empousa were all suspended a few feet off the ground in giant globules of water, the liquid prison spheres floating around us at a leisurely pace. The Empousa inside choked and gagged, desperately trying to get out, ripples bursting through as they did.

"Pretty impressive." I smiled at Percy.

He jumped, seeming to see me for the first time. He stared at me for a few seconds, taking in my appearance before shaking his head.

"What is it with you and getting naked and chained down?"

Oh right. He had been there the last two times this had happened.

"It's a gift," I said, trying to fake a smile, and taking as heroic a pose as I could while still being chained.

Percy rolled his eyes, pulling out that last little piece of chalk I had thrown him and leaning down. The puddles on the floor pulled away from him as he neared, the tiled floor dry as he started scratching the Tartarus symbol in the ground.

"Um Percy, do you think we can until I'm not chained. And maybe have clothes?"

The green-eyed boy ignored me, finishing the last line and jumping back as it lit up, the tiles cracking and that horrible vortex opening up yet again. The Empousa screamed, the sound somehow still coming out crystal clear even underwater, while they doubled their efforts to escape.

Percy spun his hand, the water spheres spinning faster and faster around us until they were a solid blur. The Tartarus portal meanwhile had grown, the light growing darker and darker, the feeling of dread getting stronger and stronger. I yelped as it pulled me forward, only my chains keeping me from getting pulled in. A whine escaped my lips as that same life-sucking feeling appeared, feeling like it was pulling my soul out piece by piece. The puddles, Empousa bags, and anything else that wasn't bolted down started getting sucked in, even as Percy just stood there, looking completely unfazed.

His fingers went taut, squeezing into a fist, until he flung his hands forward, down towards the portal. The water spheres suddenly condensed, the Empousa all giving one last scream before turning into dust, then golden mud. The condensed spheres, all shot to the center of the room, joining into one large golden mud sphere before shooting down through the portal.

The ground rumbled and fire shot out, darkness pouring out of the portal as the whole building started shaking. The windows started shattering, the glass shrapnel hurtling in towards the unstable portal. Percy turned into a blur, appearing beside me and slashing through my chains with Riptide. He grabbed me, tugging me to the end of the room and dodging the shards and throwing us through one of the empty panes. We fell down, crashing down onto the carefully manicured lawn even as the white marble above us shattered, collapsing in on itself with a horrific bang. And then everything went quiet.

"That went well," Percy said, brushing some of the rubble off, glancing for wounds. I just shook my head, turning back to the building in time to see a bolt of pink light zipping through the air straight towards Percy.

"Look out!" I called, tackling him to the ground and trying to shield him.

The light just went around me, whisking around and stabbing straight into Percy's chest before vanishing. Percy gave out a yelp, falling forward before regaining his balance.

"You alright?" I demanded, rushing forward and patting him down, the fear that he was hurt overwhelming everything else.

Percy pushed me away nodding his head.

"I'm fine. I think that was what happened to you, it's the energy from the broken bond."

Oh yeah, that thing. Right. I scratched the back of my head nervously, trying to avoid eye contact. We stayed there for a while, standing quietly while the sounds of the night echoed around us.

"You actually sounded worried for a second." Percy was looking at me, but his eyes were locked far beyond expression blank.

It was harder to shrug it off than I expected. "It's just a dream, don't think into it. Can't have a useless partner dragging me down."

"My dreams come true." He murmured in response, zoning out entirely now.

It had been a long time since we said those words. It's just a dream. My dreams come true. Back then it was our eternal argument; my attempts to tell him not to worry, that it was okay and to move one. He never wanted to, he wasn't the sort who could see that sort of thing and relax. Poseidon was a stubborn god with a knack for finding hidden truths throughout time. Now... I don't know what those words meant to us now.

"Ready to go?" Percy asked after another minute.

"Sure," I muttered, desperate to get away.

Percy led the way back to the road, staying silent all the way. I was fine with that, I was dealing with enough emotional turmoil as it was. I was screwed. I was still in love with a boy I hated and who hated me more than anything. This was not how things were supposed to be. There weren't supposed to be any strings here, it was a mission.

"It's just lust," I said out loud.

Percy glanced over, sending me a questioning look.

I backtracked, coming up with the best lie I could think of. "All that mush between Piper and Drew, all that stuff Sparky feels, even with Hazel and her nimrods. It's just lust."

"What you don't believe in love?" Percy snorted.

"Not long term. Nothing lasts forever, love can't either. It's all just lust with a different name, and people want to make it look like it'll last forever."

"It's a wonder Aphrodite hasn't backhanded you yet." Percy remarked, poking a nearby hedge with the tip of his sword.

"Come on think about it. I mean what did you think it was when we were together? Did you really think what we had would last, that it'd be all hunky dory? That was just lust."

Percy froze in his tracks, eyes suddenly dark.

"What?" I asked, crossing my arms and staring back at him.

Percy stayed quiet for a long minute, glaring at me in silence before saying "What you had was lust. Maybe something worse, since the more I think about it the more you look like a pedo. What you had was a bunch of messed up feelings you had that you wanted to use to get what you wanted. You don't know what love is though."

"And you do?" I countered.

"Yeah, I do. Love means you're willing to stand up to the people who matter to you. Love is what you feel when the people who you care about most are happy when they're close to you, it's what you feel when they make you happy. Love is what makes you put aside what matters to you and give up everything to help. It's not just some feeling that goes away, it's always there, even if it's not the same type of love it was when it began. It doesn't just mean you and the people you think are hot, the ones you want to screw and play around with then leave. It goes to everyone, friends, family, loved ones. Love means making the hard choices. Love is one of the most horrible, deadly, revolting things out there. It can be on sided, complicated, simple, it can be broken beyond repair, it can be a beautiful thing, a horrible thing, or just something to leave out in the rain."

Percy took a deep breath, before starting to walk back to the road, where I could see Hazel parked next to Midas' car.

"Love is something I hate more than anything else," Percy confessed "But it's the thing that's kept me going all this time. Yeah, for you, it was all just lust. But for me it was love. Not the kind of love you think, but love because you were my family. And that means that even now, when I hate you more than anything, even when I don't actually like you anymore, I still care for you. Loves why you're still alive Luke. Because believe me, I don't lust for you, and I never will."

I watched him as he hopped in, laying down across the back seats, unsure of what to say as the car started up.

A second later Hazel leaned out of her side shouting out "Luke put on some pants! Just because you're hot doesn't mean we want to see that!"

I just nodded, staring at Percy through the window as the car pulled out and they drove back towards town. He was right. That was bad. And what's worse, I didn't want him to be right. Because one single thought raced through my head as I watched the taillights disappear ahead of us, one thought that proved he was wrong, and right at the same time. It was something that changed everything, something so simple, yet something that ruined all my carefully laid plans now.

I loved Percy Jackson.

I was so screwed.

* * *

**So yeah it's been a while since I've posted, so I hope this makes up for it all. I know it probably wasn't the best, but I still hope you guys can enjoy, so please Read and Review, it really helps out. Have a great morning/day/night, and please keep reading!**


	13. Dark Impetus

**Dark Impetus**

Nico POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, The roof of the Farwell Funeral Home**

 **16**  days,  **1**  hour, **49**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

I stared out across the town, perched precariously beside one of the funeral homes gargoyles. Westover had had gargoyles perched all over, glaring down sinisterly at us whenever we looked up. When we first moved there, I'd remember having horrible nightmares, scared that they would come to life and take me away. Whenever I had that nightmare I'd always managed to sneak into the girl's dormitory and sleep with Bianca. She'd always been able to send the nightmares running.

And then _he_ took her from me.

Gargoyles didn't scare me anymore. I'd seen what real monsters looked like. These stone wannabes were nothing compared to them. The real monsters were all around, feeding off the town. I'd tried to stand up against the hordes of monsters that had poured in, watching as they turned the town into a hollow shell of its formers self. I'd fought to protect my family for a long time. I'd fought to protect Hazel, hunted down the freaks who wanted to hurt her. I'd tried to keep the monsters away from her.

But now she was with the biggest monster of all.

She'd gone to the dark side and by the look of it now, they were all as thick as thieves. She didn't understand, she didn't know what he'd done. It wasn't her fault that she was ignorant. I'd fallen for the lies in those sea-green eyes myself, I knew the dangers.

Only now it was harder to hate him. Nightmares of pretend monsters coming to take me away anymore were long gone. Nowadays my few hours of rest were plagued by more dreams of _him_. They collided with me like a meteor flung from the far edges of space, knocking me out for hours, opening doors into a past that wasn't my own.

But now I'd seen things, things that actually made me feel sorry for him. And that was killing me. I didn't want to think about that, I didn't want him to be human. He was a monster, I didn't want to feel sorry for him. Things needed to stay simple. Right now, I was saving up my power; in a few more days I'd attack.

Years of planning would have gone into it. Revenge would be mine and justice would be served. The monster would fall. But monsters weren't like him, and he wasn't like a monster. He was something different entirely. I didn't really know what he was. But he was a bad guy. Even the monsters agreed with that.

Even they feared him. Whispers had gone through town when they found out he had arrived, hushed stories told of the Child Murderer, The Demon of Westover Hall, and the Titans Wrath. A monster among monsters. That fit. The less human he seemed the easier it was to think about what would happen to him.

No, after all Percy Jackson had done, not just to me but to everyone else, it was clear that he was a monster. And his time was coming.

I took a deep breath, pulling at the familiar feel of death coming from the funeral home below. My battle nerves were acting up, I could feel myself shaking and clenching, my muscles twitching and ready for a fight.

Fighting had come easily to me. The year before CPS picked me up I'd been living on the streets. I'd seen my monster in action, I had known I had to be ready. So, I had trained. The first time I actually managed to use my powers was when I found a picture of Percy Jackson in the newspaper. It had been a useless scrap, just a little missing kid ad that had found its way there from New York.

A bum had been reading it in an alley when I snatched it away, trying to find out more. He hadn't exactly been thrilled with the idea and had pushed me down, kicking me to try and get it back. Something inside me had flared, and then a rat had leaped out of the garbage can beside us and started biting him. More and more rats had joined in, followed by a half-rotted iguana.

That was the day I found out I could control the dead. A while after that I had found out I could communicate with the dead. The second I figured that one out I had raced back to Westover, trying to talk to my sister. But she hadn't answered. Others had answered though. I had met with other long dead demigods, remnants who had taught me how to use more powers, and more importantly, how to fight. I'd fought with all the masters of the ages until I was almost a master myself, but after one of them had betrayed me to get another chance at life, I had stopped summoning the dead.

CPS had caught up to me and shipped me to live with Hazel by the time I figured out how to manipulate the shadows. I'd only found out my latest power recently, the power to control the earth. It was harder than the others, and so far, I'd only been able to use it when it either entirely on instinct or when I was angry. But I was getting stronger. I was going to come out on top in this fight.

I took another steadying breath, pulling at that feeling again, only to frown as I felt something else something strange. An unpleasantly familiar whooshing sound came from behind me and I rolled to the side, gripping the building for support as a scimitar came crashing down where I had just been.

Something huge stood in the shadows, completely obscured even to me. What I could make out of it seemed to be changing as I watched, a strange tail whipping back and forth beside enormous clawed feet, many heads. I reached around, grabbing at my sword when the angry hissing started up.

I stuttered there, mind going back to the night I had last heard hissing. Medusa? No, too big. But definitely snakes, and a lot of them. I was so caught up in memory land I barely avoided the second scimitar, diving beneath the blade and away from the ledge.

I hurled a wave of shadows at my attacker, stabbing blindly only for their tail to smack me away, sending me crashing into the gargoyle I had just sat with. I groaned, clenching my teeth in pain, and tried to get up, only for the beast to rush forward with inhuman speed, its huge clawed foot crashing down at my chest. I struggled to breathe, my sword vanishing into the shadows as I push the monster off of me.

It let out a strange laughing hiss, eyes glowing as it lowered its head to my level, scimitars looming closer and closer to my throat as it pushed down on my chest with its gigantic claws. I abandoned the effort, raising my hand towards those eyes and let out a vicious spear of darkness. The beast howled and recoiled, hissing angrily, but instead of loosening its hold on me those claws dug in more than ever. It whirled around, throwing me against the far edge of the building.

I bounced off painfully, trying to get up only for it to kick me again, slamming me into the far edge. The next second it was crushing down on me, stamping my chest down into the ground. I gasped for breath, wheezing and desperately throwing out a string of attacks, but they bounced off harmlessly. The scimitars raised again, and I barely managed to move my head enough to avoid being decapitated.

It swung again and again, each blow missing by inches. Finally, it slammed one of its blades down beside my head, impaling a good fourth of it into the cement and effectively blocking any means of escape on that side. I watched as it raised the other blade, carefully lining it up with me as though it were about to putt my head like a golf ball.

The blade went up, the beast giving a final cackling hiss, and then it came slicing down.

Somewhere in-between point A and point B something happened. That same feeling that connected me to the dead and to these monsters suddenly pulsed, some kind of monumental disturbance rippling through and taking my breath away. My attacker's blow went to high, the pressure on my chest vanishing as it stumbled back, reeling from the force.

Jackson had done it again; whatever _it_ was.

The beast recovered at the same time I did, both of us coming shakily to our feet. It took a second to glance over my head before looking back to me and rushing forward with scimitars raised high. I took a deep breath, forcing my eyes shut and willing the shadows to me. When I opened my eyes, I was back in my lair.

Mrs. O'Leary looked up with tired eyes, giving me an uninterested snort before letting her head back down to rest on her paws.

I stumbled over to my bed, panting hard. What the hell was that thing? I'd never met a monster like that. My powers worked on everything, I hadn't come across a monster I couldn't beat yet. But now I had. Whatever that thing was it was out of my league, as much as I didn't want to admit it.

I needed more power, and fast. What if that's how my fight with **him** went? If that happened I'd be ruined, just another blood stain on his ledger. I had to get stronger and fast. I had to- The darkness claimed me faster than ever, the switch from conscious to unconscious happening in less than a second.

When my eyes finally opened, I was lying in the middle of a bustling New York street on the edge of the river, the sun shining high above me. Damn it, this was another dream. I huffed, sitting up on my protesting limbs and glancing around.

Might as well find the little freak now, everything would end and I'd wake up then. I'd tried to walk away one time instead of following as Percy had run by, I had tried to just go back to sleep and ignore whatever happened. But the dream followed me around like a lost puppy until I gave in and followed him.

But this time it wasn't Percy I saw. It was his blonde friend.

The younger looking blondie was walking alongside the river, a stout boy with crutches following behind, his curly hair sticking out at every angle underneath a ridiculous hat.

Huh, this was new. Everything I'd seen so far was Percy-centric, apart from the first where I saw the death of his mother I had never seen anyone else important- or at least important to me. Might as well investigate, I didn't know anything about Percy's minion anyways.

"Come on the crutches are so much better than a wheelchair," The blonde was saying as I caught up to them "Think about it, you can use them as weapons, you can hide things in them, plus if you walk around like that all the time your arms are bound to get buff. And trust me, you need the muscle."

The other boy- Grover- huffed, panting hard.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't have to spend all day killing my arms. And do you realize how bad these casts are? My legs are sweating like no man's goat, it's like I've got my hooves in a sauna Luke! Besides, if I had a wheelchair I could just roll around all day, eating tin cans and ping pong balls! I'd be living the dream!"

Hooves? Wait a second, I'd seen this set up before. Grover was a satyr, just like Ferdinand. Grover, Grover, Grover. Why did that name sound so familiar?

"I thought your dream was to ask out that Juniper girl." Luke shot back with a wink.

Grover blushed at that, smiling dreamily at the thought of the girl.

A kid in a ratty blue hood bumped into Luke going the opposite direction, keeping their face out of sight.

"Oi, watch it!" Luke called after him frowning as he turned back to Grover.

"Gotta love New York," Grover grumbled, glancing around distastefully as he watched a paper bag float past in the river current.

Luke nodded, his frown deepening and forehead creasing as he glanced back at the kid.

"What's up?" Grover asked, looking grateful for a reason to stop hopping along on those crutches.

"Pretty sure that little ragamuffin picked my pocket," Luke confessed, staring after him.

"Wait, what?" Grover cried, looking back and forth between them.

Luke reached in his pocket, frown turning into an irritated look.

"Yep, he did. I'll be right back."

"Come on Luke it's just a wallet. We had what, a single drachma in there. It's not like we've got any real money in there, and apart from the whole leather thing- I'm still mad about that by the way- it's worthless!"

"Who cares about the wallet? I'm not about to let some sticky-fingered kid get the best of me."

Luke took off, sprinting through the crowd after the kid.

Grover groaned, starting to shuffle after them, muttering something about crutches and churros. Realizing that it'd be a while before he caught up to the action, I ran after Luke. He was going full breakneck pace at this point; apparently, the thief had noticed he was being followed.

The kid made a beeline for an open construction site, dodging past workers while zigzagging his way to the other side. Luke followed bounding past, quickly gaining ground. The blue hooded kid suddenly took a turn and hopped down an open manhole. Luke skidded to a halt over it, a look of distaste coming to his face as he glared down into the darkness.

"Little brat." He muttered, before hopping down.

I followed, hopping down into the darkness. It was more robust down here than I had expected and brightly lit with construction lights. Apart from the nasty smell and the discolored river rushing by beside me and the other side it was a great getaway place. I caught sight of Luke chasing the kid up ahead, and followed.

And then we reached the end of the tunnel. The kid slammed up against a wall, panting hard, staring down at the grate where all the water was coming from. There wasn't going to be any escape. Luke slowed to a stop, crossing his arms and smiling condescendingly at his prey.

"End of the road kiddo. I gotta say I'm not that impressed. You've really got to work on your technique, it's sloppy."

The kid turned around, and sea green eyes glared up at Luke, a defiant look on the young Percy's face. Of course. This was how those two had met. Even young he looked fierce, like a tiger with his back to the wall.

"Tell you what, toss back the wallet and we'll call it quits. I get living on the streets is no picnic, a nice clean break like this is just what you need." Luke offered.

After a few seconds, Percy reached into the hoodies oversized pocket and pulled out the wallet. He looked down at it longingly before looking away and tossing it back to Luke. It was still in midair when a small coin fell out, tapping the ground between them.

It was a drachma- that money the monsters were always passing around and laying out for traps. Percy stared at it for a second confused, before something snapped in his eyes.

"Just an heirloom. It's not worth anything." Luke said.

He didn't recognize that look, he didn't know what it meant. I did. I leapt to the side as Percy wrenched his arms up, a wave of sewer water rising up and crashing down on Luke. He spluttered, falling back under the weak wave, and I watched as Percy took a fighting stance, pulling out his pen. A second later the boy was gone, and I could see the monster back, eyes dangerous, sword out. His stance was sloppy, and he lacked the perfection that he put out when I had met him.

Luke stiffened, eyes carefully looking from the sword to Percy, before holding up his hands.

"Easy there kiddo."

"You're one of them," Percy said simply, starting to advance.

"One of who?" Luke asked, standing his ground.

"The monsters. The ones who keep coming after me. I thought I got rid of your guys when I stopped living in houses for too long. I thought living in the alley worked."

Had he lived in an alley too? He'd been homeless and alone? Oh right, he had…

"I'm not one of the monsters. I'm a demigod like you are. That's a nifty trick you've got there. Son of Poseidon?"

"What's a Poseidon?" Percy asked, poking Luke with the tip of his sword.

"He's a god, one of the big ones. Where'd you get that sword?"

"None of your business." Percy snapped, poking him harder.

Luke rolled his eyes, pushing Percy away and snatching the sword away from him in a single smooth move.

"Hey!" Percy protested, regaining his balance and rushing forward, only to skid to a halt once his own sword was leveled at him.

"Rule one, keep your distance unless you're going to attack. You get up in someone's face like you just did you're going to get yourself killed."

Percy growled, eyes flashing towards the water. Luke moved faster than Percy, pushing him against the wall and holding the sword to his throat.

"Second rule, watch your opponent for tells. If they're a son of Poseidon and you're next to a water source, take action if they start getting antsy and making power gestures."

Percy just glowered up at Luke, eyes threatening to bore holes through his head.

"Third rule, know who your friends are."

Luke let Percy down, taking a step back and spinning the sword, offering Percy the handle. Percy stared at it, before glancing up to Luke. He reached out cautiously, snatching the sword and jumping back before Luke could try and attack again.

"Now that we got that out of the way, hi. My name's Luke, Luke Castellan. I'm a demigod too."

"What's a demigod?" Percy asked, still holding his sword high.

"The bastard kid of a god."

"No swearing," Percy said instantly.

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"No swearing. It's rude."

"So are they," Luke replied.

Percy just crossed his arms, glaring Luke down. After a few seconds, he let out a dramatic sigh with a mutter of "Whatever. I'm going to guess you don't know much about our world. How long have you been living out here on the streets? You know your way around town, you've got some skills."

"I've been here since I was six. I don't stay in the same place twice, people start looking at me weird."

"Since you were six?" Luke asked. Percy nodded.

"How old are you now?"

Percy frowned, letting his sword arm relax, trying to relax.

"Um… what month is it?"

"September."

"Oh. Then I'm eleven. My birthday should have been last month."

Luke gave a whistle. "You've been on your own for five years? Damn kid…"

I just stared at the young Percy, trying to understand. He lost his mom to the Minotaur, and since then he'd been out here? The other dreams hadn't made that clear- I'd seen what looked like homes and other people. But the more I thought about that the less I realized I had seen.

And what's worse, the more sympathy I started feeling for him. Life had been hell for me that one year living alone after a monster had killed the only person I loved. Percy had done the same thing; a monster had killed the only person who loved him and forced him to run for five years. And then he'd become a monster.

"Tell you what, why don't we go back to my place and talk? I've got a friend there, he's around your age. You could stay as long as you want, and we could tell you everything. You don't have to stay, just listen."

Percy bit his lip, looking unsure.

"We have food." Luke offered.

Percy's face lit up, and for the first time, I noticed how thin he was. His skin was an unhealthy tan, and his cheekbones stood out starkly against his skin. It was a lot like me actually… Percy suddenly took a step back, looking concerned.

"Why would you do that? Why would you be nice to me?"

Luke took a second to think before saying "Because you're like us. You deserve to be safe, and you're definitely not safe out here. Even if you only stay for a little while, then at least we can help you know how to survive."

"Can you teach me how to fight the monsters?"

Luke nodded. Percy seemed to argue with himself, biting his lip harder before finally nodding.

"Fine. But I'm watching you."

Luke just cracked a smile and winked saying "Trust me kiddo, everybody is. Come on, we'll get back to the apartment now."

The rest of the day was rather uneventful. Percy and Grover had hit it off like no man's joke, partying and laughing. I had found out a few interesting things about the gods and monsters I hadn't known, but really it was all just prattle, trying to convince Percy to stay and be safe.

At the end of the night, Percy declared that he was staying.

I had watched as they all went around, falling asleep in their banged-up apartment, waiting. Percy had ended up in the actual bedroom, with Grover sleeping on the couch and Luke on the floor. I waited another thirty minutes while they slept, starting to get agitated.

"Okay, I get it!" I called out finally after still, nothing happened "This is when they first met, that's important somehow."

Nothing happened.

"What do you want from me? What do you want me to say?" I demanded, standing up and going away from Percy's bed.

Still nothing.

"What do you want? Do you want me to say that I see he's like me? Because he's not! He's a monster! Stop sending me these stupid dreams, I've had enough! Take me back home now!"

"Stop shouting you're going to wake them up!" A tired voice whispered.

I whirled around in time to see Percy sitting up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. I stared at him in confusion as he wrapped his arms around his knees and smiled happily at me, still looking half-asleep.

"You can… see me?" I asked. This was not something that had happened before, no one had interacted with me or heard me before.

"Of course, I can see you. I've seen you for a while now, every time I dream." Percy beamed contentedly before continuing "You're one of my best friends. Why else would we hug all the time?"

Hug all the time? What the hell was he talking about? He must be delusional, I talked to spirits best when I was half asleep too. Maybe whatever this was worked the same way.

"I don't think so Percy." I sneered, trying to sum up some anger for the kid. But it didn't come. Looking at those sea green eyes, so full of fractured innocence, I couldn't angry at him, not this version him anyways.

"Well, you should Neeks."

I froze, staring wide-eyed at the smiling boy. Neeks? Gods how long had it been someone called me that. How did he know?

"You don't look right though," Percy said, starting to snuggle back under the covers.

"What do you mean?" I asked, genuinely curious now.

"You don't have the sparkle in your eyes. You still look angry. But you are just my dream. I know you're not real. Maybe that's why you only show up when I sleep."

I was opening my mouth to answer when suddenly everything went black. When I opened my eyes, I was leaning back in the shadowy corner of Half-Blood Swag. The singer was still droning on with her annoying song, and the party goers were all cheering and dancing like everything was okay.

How had I gotten here? Was this real? I reached out, experimentally pulling on the shadows, relief flooding through me as they answered my call. My powers didn't work in dreams so this had to be real. Then again, before tonight I couldn't talk to anyone in dreams. So maybe this was still a dream… No, no this was real. The searing rage, the need for revenge was back in my bones.

I let my head fall back against the wall, head reeling. Why was this happening? What was it? And why was it all about Percy? I didn't want to see him, I wanted to put a sword through him! This wasn't right!

Another familiar tug came to my stomach and I jerked up, readying myself in case it was the same beast from earlier. The club was full of monsters, but all of them were just dancing and partying along with the others, it was all the same. I took a few hesitant steps towards the crowd, carefully scanning it all.

The tug in my gut pulled harder, and I followed it, eyes catching onto a blonde girl with gray eyes in the corner. She was sitting in a high-backed chair, talking animatedly with someone else, someone obscured by their own chair. Ignoring the possibility of being seen I let the shadows move me, reappearing on the other side of the room and turning back.

It was Percy.

Of course, it was. He was always here. He always came back to haunt me one way or another. He laughed at something the girl had said, shaking his head before his eyes suddenly found mine through the crowd. His smile melted away, a sad, worried look coming to his face.

Good, he should be worried.

But the more I stared at him, the more I thought about what I had found out about him, a horrible truth started coming to mind. He wasn't worried about what I'd do to him. He wasn't worried about the unfathomable tortures I was going to put him through for what he'd done to me. He was worried about me.

I angrily stomped away, the crowded party around me, heading for the door. Percy Jackson was a monster. He didn't worry about people because that's not what monsters did. Nothing could change what he was.

I couldn't help but glance back as I reached the hallway to the door, wanting to see those sea green eyes one last time, to rekindle the rage. But rage took second place tonight. The Grace kid had made his way over and was taking all Percy's attention.

Something else burned along with anger, but this time it wasn't focused on Percy it was aimed at Grace. That was my Hero, he needed to go get his own.

I just shook my head, storming out of the club, the shadows writhing under me as I headed home the long way. No more sleeping, no more dreams, no more nothing. I was done with all this. It was time to get ready for the end game.

Time to avenge my friends. Time to avenge the innocent souls of Westover. Time to avenge my sister.

* * *

**Not much better, but I hope it works for you guys. Nico's obsession's starting to change, it's still all about Percy but things are definitely changing, and soon enough you'll have an awesome Percico story, the characters just need a little more encouragement. Questions and or comments? Enjoy and keep reading, I'm trying to update more often again! Please Read and Review, and if you have questions, comments, or advice and stuff, please send it in! Thanks everybody, here's to hoping you have a fantastical morning/day/night!**


	14. Slipping Up

 

 

 

**Slipping Up**

Piper POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, The Shoebox**

**14**  days,  **12**  hours, **26**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Living in a magical wonderland where people have superpowers, monsters run around, and the world was doomed to end was not all it was cracked up to be. I mean sure the first part was awesome; Luke and Percy had run into a few Aphrodite kids in their travels and knew how to help me, especially with my CharmSpeak.

The other two weren't so fantastic.

Two days had passed since we beat the Empousa, doomsday creeping ever closer. The random monster attacks weren't helping either. Ever since the Empousa had stormed the Shoebox, the nearby monsters had had a sudden rush of bravado. They would come in packs, hordes, or even flying solo, testing our defenses and taking any chance they could to get at us.

I could really do without that part, I had seen more horrors than I ever wanted to in a lifetime. It probably didn't help that every time I closed my eyes I could see the Empousa in their demonesque forms, brutally ripping Drew apart piece by piece.

She had been a good friend and helped me forget about the pain. Even if she had led me down a path that ended with angry incubi fusing their souls with mine.

But she'd been avenged. Mostly. Now that Lust was gone it was time to move on and take the fight to this Kronos guy. My 'training' had started as soon as Percy and Luke returned from fighting Lust, looking worn and haggard.

Apart from my CharmSpeak, the only other real abilities I'd shown for them were being able to look pretty and seeing who had a thing for who. I wasn't exactly thrilled about that part either.

Luke was a natural born hustler with sticky fingers and a brand new golden touch. Hazel had turned into a full-on illusionist in training while working part time as a Magneto parody. And then there was Percy, a living tsunami with a sword. All I could do was look pretty and tell people what to do.

Were Aphrodite kids seriously this useless? I couldn't do anything, and the whole CharmSpeak thing didn't even work on the monsters we'd run into. Aphrodite sucked as a soldier, and don't even get me started on her parenting.

So, no, I wasn't exactly settling in nicely. Being with Haze helped a little though. Well, a lot actually. It was good to have my best friend back, I'd missed our adventures and our jokes, and our everything. It made my heart ache to think that I had abandoned her in favor of losing myself.

It had seemed like such a good choice at the time. Choosing Hazel meant accepting reality, living with the pain of being alone, the rejection of everything I wanted. Choosing Drew meant forgetting it all, not having to think or remember the strife, it was freedom made easy.

Of course, that came with its own strings. Looking back, I even know that it had never really been freedom. And nothing comes free, especially freedom. But maybe it could be earned. At last, I hope it could.

For now, though I'm here training, preparing for when that day finally comes. Which roughly translated to losing repeatedly to Hazel in unarmed combat.

I yelped as Hazel deflected my jab, grabbing my arm and twisting me over her shoulder and, with a single deft movement, tossed me down onto the hard mat. I groaned, feeling stiff and sore.

Training it turned out, also wasn't my thing, and I had a fresh patch of bruises to prove it.

"And the crowd goes wild! It's Hazel by a landslide!" Hazel cheered, imitating the crowd, pumping her fists and hooting.

She sobered up when she caught my glare, smiling bashfully and helping me back to my feet.

"It wasn't much of a landslide Pipes. You're getting better."

"Hazel, how long have you been training?"

"About a week now, but what does that have to-"

"You've been here a week and you've already turned into some super powered brawler. I've been here two days and I still can't get through the basics."

Hazel sighed, twisting her dark curls and waiting for me to finish my rant.

"I couldn't exactly do much when I got here either. It's in your blood, you just have to get it pumping. Maybe I'm just picking up on this stuff faster because I'm a Roman."

I turned away, grabbing my water bottle and spraying myself, trying to cool down. Hazel might have a point, maybe I should just give it a little time. Then again patience was definitely not a virtue of mine.

Hazel purposely bumped into me as she passed, flashing a coy smile as she glanced back.

"You want to fight or something?" I demanded playfully, getting up in her face.

It wasn't hard to do considering she was practically a foot shorter than me. Of course, knowing that she was smaller than me and could still toss me around like a sack of flour wasn't exactly great for morale.

Hazel grinned fiercely, leaning up on tiptoes to glare right back with a "Yeah, you got a problem with that?"

I shrugged casually saying "It's against my code to beat up Munchkins. I start doing that, your whole lollipop guild starts coming after me with falling houses."

Hazel scowled at the munchkin comment, coming back with "Munchkin my boot, let's go around in the ring and we'll see who's looking up to who in the end. And besides, at least I don't melt in the rain miss witch!"

I pretended to gasp offended, smiling evilly as I slowly uncapped my water bottle.

"Better be careful who you call a witch _munchkin_ , otherwise you could be the one getting wet!"

Hazel yelped as I poured my water bottle over her head, laughing as she recoiled.

"That's so it!" She cried, tackling me to the ground.

We both cackled as we rolled around, pulling each other into choke holds, exchanging blows and pulling hair. A wolf whistle finally pulled us out of our fun, both of us glancing up at the door where Luke was smirking lecherously down at us.

"Kinky, you just can't go wrong with two hot babes beating the hell out of each other. Lose the clothes and we got ourselves a real show."

"Pig." Hazel stuck her tongue out and I smiled playfully, sitting up and twisting around, pinning Hazel beneath me.

"Oh, you don't know kinky. You want a real show?"

Luke raised an eyebrow and Hazel's jaw dropped in silence.

"Don't let me interrupt, let's get this show going." Luke grabbed a chair, pulling closer.

"He's not buying your bluff," Hazel whispered as I leaned down.

"Who's bluffing?" I whispered back, winking down at a stunned Hazel.

She stayed frozen as I got closer, hair cascading over our faces, her breath speeding up as I got closer, our noses brushing, and our lips only inches apart.

"Hey Haze, can I get you in for a minute I need your help!" Percy called from the other room.

We all stayed quiet for a long second before a frown slowly spread across my face. What was I doing? I didn't want to kiss Hazel, not for some joke, especially not in front of the blonde sex hound. I pulled back and scooted away, avoiding Hazel's gaze as she shakily stood up and vanished out of the room.

That wasn't me. I didn't think like this, I didn't like Hazel like that. Even for a joke this soon after I'd gotten her back-

"Struggling with old habits?" Luke's strangely sympathetic voice snapped me out of my daze.

"What?"

Luke shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "You're not cured you know. You can't just wave a wand over somebody and say 'Ta-dah, you're fixed!' You were Lust. Just because you broke your bond doesn't mean you're not going to have some troubles. It's something you're going to have to deal with for a long time."

"But I did deal with it! I tore it out!" I protested.

"In the heat of the moment after you watched your friend got ripped apart, you were scared straight. Just because you want to change doesn't make it that easy."

I opened my mouth several times, trying to make him understand, but no words came out.

"Why me? I didn't want this. And they didn't want me, they went after Drew."

Luke nodded thoughtfully.

"Good point right there. They were attracted to Drew first and then went to you. And even though you're struggling with your naughty old habits," he paused to give me a suggestive wink "You were never really Lust. Drew was."

"But then why did I have the bond? If she was Lust, if she was the bigger slut, then why did they come after me?"

Luke frowned, tapping his fingers bare fingers anxiously on the edge of the chair, the contact leaving golden fingerprints littered across the surface. When he did speak up, it was slow, each word carefully chosen.

"Drew was Lust. She would have made a perfect match. But Lust doesn't always settle for perfect; it never settles at all actually. It just goes and gets what it wants. You weren't Lust, but you were stronger than Drew. Lust could settle with Drew and have a perfect match, or try and corrupt you and have an even more powerful host. And like I said, Lust never settles."

Poor Drew. Had she really been that bad? She had loved me, right? All those times she told me, it wasn't just Lust, was it? NO. I wanted to say now. I didn't want to believe that my best friend, a girl I loved, or at least thought I did, was a monster.

Lust never settles.

Drew had abandoned me. When the Empousa came, Drew chose them over me. She had picked what she wanted most. And I had stayed because I thought I loved her.

This was going to be hard. I was drowning in so much denial I didn't even know which way was up. No wonder I couldn't do anything helpful.

"Hey" Luke put a hand on my shoulder, a surprisingly gentle smile on his face "You're strong. You can get through this, as long as it's what you want. You just have to believe in yourself. Got it?"

I nodded, feeling shocked when I realized I was blinking away tears.

"Good, cause that's an order. Now let's get going soldier, we have a world to save!"

Well then, goodbye world, we're screwed.

"Is it too late to change teams?" I grinned weakly.

Something flashed behind Luke's eyes, but then he smoothed it all away and forced another smile.

"I wouldn't bet against us to quickly Piper. We're just getting started, and we'll pull every trick in the book. Just you wait, we'll fight so dirty they won't know what hit them."

**Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

"Is this what you meant what when you said fight dirty?" I whined, hopping out of the dumpster.

For the past half hour, we'd been digging through various trash cans and garbage trucks around town. In that short half hour, I realized how much I hate trash, and am so grateful I'm rich. I will never take having a maid for granted again. I'll probably give her a raise if we live long enough. After I get a shower and rub this stink out of course. If it does come out.

Luke let out a distasteful sound, wiping stray bits of dirt and food off his newly 'acquired' leather jacket.

"We just need to see if anybody's sending signal or anything to the junkyard with this stuff. I don't want to take any chances." Percy explained, wiping his brow.

Somehow, he had managed to remain peachy clean and shining despite literally diving headfirst into a dumpster earlier.

"Aren't there other ways to fight evil? Like actually fighting it and not digging through its trash?"

"Patience young grasshopper," Luke pretended to scold, before shrugging and glancing to Percy for an answer.

"Come on guys, this can be fun. We just need something to get us along."

Percy's face lit up and he beamed, a chuckling as he said "My gosh, that reminds me of this one mission I had with A- with a friend. We were at Hoover Dam and we were having no luck, it was the most boring thing in the world. And then we just started fooling around and getting some dam burgers and dam shirts, and going on the dam tour!"

Percy cracked up while the rest of us deadpanned, even the crickets letting the silence go on out of pity.

"You, you get it right? Dam tour? Dam…" He trailed off, frowning as he saw our expressions.

"You people suck." He sulked.

All of us cooed as he did, my heart beating faster. Have I mentioned how incredibly attractive Percy was? He's like a freaking Adonis. The way he moves, those lithe muscles, that wavy hair, those deep, deep eyes…

Percy frowned an amazingly adorable frown, taking in our doe-eyed expression.

"Snap out of it already, I know I'm hot but get over it."

The spell broke with the command and we coughed awkwardly. I wasn't the only one who was working out some new tricks. Percy had picked up Lust's power, gaining a form of CharmSpeak and the combined attraction of a daughter of Aphrodite and the Empousa.

In short, on top of being a force of nature with anger issues, now he looked like he belonged center page in a modeling catalog, and sounded like a hypnotic teen idol. So not fair. Even Luke was caught up in the changes most of the time, although Percy kept trying to negate the abilities.

"What now?" Luke asked, trying to take back control of the conversation.

"We've stalled long enough, it's time to go take out another sin. The only question is who."

"Frank and Leo." Hazel blurted instantly.

I raised an eyebrow and Hazel blushed quickly stating "I just think they'd be the easiest to go and grab, and they could offer so much to the team."

"Not to mention all it could off your love life." Luke winked.

Hazel's blush intensified and I stepped closer whispering "Don't worry, we'll get your lover boys back in no time."

Hazel tried to hide her face while we all snickered. After cleaning up, we made our way to the club. As always the music was blaring, that hypnotic vocalist hitting all the right notes, lulling me back into their sinister web.

"Keep on your toes, I don't know what kind of reception to expect," Percy warned as we walked in.

Once inside, I got a look around Half-Blood Swag with new eyes. I could see the monsters now, really see them since I was awake, not in some lust filled frenzy. The danger had always been so close; I had literally been in its lap on more than one go.

I flinched away whenever someone in the crowd bumped into me and did my best to avoid the contact. There were too many memories here, too many ties to Lust. I didn't want to be here.

"Clear on Frank's end," Luke reported, appearing at my side.

A second later Percy showed up, looking mournfully in the opposite direction.

"Leo's out of reach right now, not unless we want a fight."

"Can't we grab them both?" Hazel asked desperately.

Luke shook his head.

"No. We'd be spread too thin, and we're already being watched."

My heart sped up and I glanced around. People in the crowd were watching us. Fauns, snake women, the barkeep. They were all watching us, waiting.

"You're going to be up Pipes." Percy murmured in my ear, guiding me over to the corner booth near the buffet table.

"Wait, what?"

Percy didn't elaborate, opting instead to stand beside Hazel, looking in at the booths lone occupant.

Frank Zhang was not the boy I remembered. The slightly plump boy with rounded cheeks, a cheery smile, and a shy personality had been taken over by a sallow-faced binge eater.

Stacks of plates were piled high around him, licked clear, the bones of some foods sucked clean. I could have sworn he even ate his napkin as he inhaled a plateful, only to move onto another plate the next second. It didn't exactly take a genius to figure out which of us Frank was.

"Hello Gluttony," Luke said, eyebrows raised as we watched Frank stuff his face.

This time I was sure I saw him eat the napkin.

Sheesh, how did he even breathe, there was no stop between the food from the plate and his mouth.

Hazel angrily elbowed Luke and turned to Frank gently saying "Frank? It's me, Hazel. Listen, we need to talk."

Frank grunted, taking a moment away from his plate to down a full glass of chocolate milk and a half cup of soda.

"Frank, please, you need to stop eating, this isn't right."

Hazel reached out to try and pry an ear of corn from him but Frank hunched up, eating faster, eyes wide and frenzied.

"Hey buddy, put down the fork and-" Luke rolled his eyes muttering "Who am I kidding? This is ridiculous." Then louder "Hey fatty!"

Hazel glowered at Luke, a fierce fire in her eyes, but Luke had gotten a result.

Frank froze, half a watermelon shoved in his mouth, eyes fixed on us. It took a few seconds to kick in, but Hazel jumped back into the game, leaning in to grab his attention.

"Frank, you have to stop, it's a trap, this isn't right. If you don't stop eating they're going to kill you, and everyone else here. Please, you have to stop and come with us."

A part of me shrank at the passion, the unadulterated care in her voice. She really loved him, didn't she? I'd always know about her crush on Frank, and how Leo was always crushing on her. But until now I hadn't realized just how much she really cared about them.

I didn't know that kind of love. I'd never had that with Drew. It had only ever been Lust. Frank kept still for a long time, staring back at us with wide, innocent eyes. And then he slowly took the half chewed, slobbered up slice of watermelon from his mouth and dropped it back onto his plate.

Hazel beamed, holding out a hand for him to take. Percy held his breath, beginning to smile as Frank slowly lifted his hand, chubby fingers coming closer and closer to Hazel.

"Extra-large, super crispy, extra juicy, and extra chocolate!"

We all jumped as a pure red nymph rushed between us, knocking Hazel to the side and sending the stacks of plastic plates clattering to the floor. Before we could do a thing she had placed a manhole-sized pizza, two loafs of bread, a steak the size of my head, and a bottle of chocolate syrup in front of Frank and then ran off.

A second ticked by, Frank's eyes glazing over as he stared wide-eyed at the feast before him. And then he was back to shoving it in his face, fistfuls of pizza vanishing in a sickening symphony of crunching and chewing.

"That's just not playing fair. I mean come one, look at the size of that steak!" Luke moaned, longingly licking his lips.

"Frank!" Hazel tried again.

This time there was no reaction at all. Somehow my eyes met Percy's, those sea green pools of pure soul-probing, waiting. You know what to do, that look said. This was my big moment, my time to shine? No, no! I shook my head vehemently, eyes panicked.

What was I going to do, I couldn't help out here! Percy just nodded, giving me an encouraging nod. How could he have that kind of faith in me, he'd only just met me!

Because he was Percy, that's how.

I didn't need to know him to figure out that in a different world he would have been the hero, the leader, somebody who everyone looked up to and liked being around. He was loyal and caring, but I could see something hard in his eyes, an old darkness.

We'd only met a few days ago, but if he had to, he'd give up the world to save me. That's the kind of person Percy was. His faith in others was inhuman. And if he could have that kind of faith in everyone around, then I could definitely have faith and believe in myself.

I could do this.

I took a deep breath and leaned in next to Hazel. "Let me try Haze."

Hazel looked back at me, unsure and afraid. I put a hand on her shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze.

"It's going to be alright. I promise."

Hazel relaxed under my touch, her gold eyes never leaving mine as she nodded and backed off. I turned to Frank and started to focus.

"What's she going to do?" I heard Luke as Percy.

"I have absolutely no clue."

Oh. So maybe I might have misinterpreted that look. He probably still had faith in me anyways. Hopefully. Maybe not.

"I hate being a cynic." I muttered under my breath, turning back to the blob boy "Frank…"

No response at all, he was too engrossed in his meal.

"Frank."

Not even a blink or a glimmer in those misty eyes.

I took a deep breath, trying to stifle my agitation. I was just as much a warrior as Hazel, and I had my own tragic backstory. I could do anything they could.

"Frank."

Something changed in my voice this time, tickling the back of my throat as the words passed the tip of my tongue. Frank hesitated for a split second then went back to shoving food in his maw.

"Frank, stop eating," I ordered, voice thick and ambrosial.

Frank slowed, the glaze starting to vanish. Being able to order people around had been something I'd grow up to, it was the norm for rich families. It wasn't until a few years ago I realized that most people didn't have a choice when I told them to do something.

I'd stopped using it out of fear, fear or what it meant, what it could make me become. Even if it's what I had turned into anyways. The last time I'd used it before had been on my nanny three years ago. She'd been trying to keep me away from Drew, to make me stay home.

In the end, I realized she'd only been trying to protect me. That was the night I got involved with the Empousa. But I hadn't known that back then. I'd been angry, I yelled and shouted.

And then I'd told her to leave and never come back.

She'd obeyed, as much as she could. She was barely past the driveway when she got hit by a bus. And so, I'd stopped. At least I think I did. I hadn't even thought about when Hazel and Percy had kidnapped me. It was a part of me I didn't like, something I was afraid of.

_**And you wonder why you can't do anything darling.** _

My heart stopped as a voice in the back of my head giggled, poking around in my mind.

_**Love is dangerous** _ _**the voice whispered** _ _**if you want your power, you will have to court risk.** _

And then before I could think anymore, the presence was gone and I was alone in my own head again. Court risk? What did that mean?

"You alright Piper?" Hazel leaned in.

"Hurry it up hot stuff, we're on the clock," Luke added impatiently.

"I'm fine." I snapped, focusing back on Frank.

I was opening my mouth as he finished the last bite of his meal. I stared in shock, only for him to shove me aside as he waddled with surprising speed over to the buffet. The three-chested cook glanced up as he approached, his eyes moving from Frank to us.

No, as I looked between us I realized he was glaring at Percy specifically. Frank was almost there when the cook tripped him, sending him face first into the salad. Frank seemed stunned, only to recover himself and to start devouring the whole thing a second later.

Now Frank didn't even have to move, the food had found him. The cook cast us a smirk and stalked off, his place quickly filled by to angry, hissing snake women.

"Haze, Pipes, it's time to get this party start."

Luke and Percy led the way over, the snake women backing off as we got close. Time for round two.

"Frank, stop eating that," I ordered.

Not a blink, nothing when there was this much food at his disposal. Why couldn't he just see what we were seeing? The kid was practically drowning himself as he glugged down a jug full of ranch and a basketful of croutons; it was just sick. Hold on a second…

"Doesn't that taste wrong Frankie?"

Frank slowed, still munching but a confused expression coming across his face. I pushed on.

"I mean, look at that bread, it looks awfully moldy and probably just tastes wrong."

Frank's stomach grumbled and a disgusted look slid into place as he kept on chewing.

"What are you doing?" Hazel queried.

"Trying something different," I whispered back, turning to Frank.

Direct commands weren't working on anybody, at least not yet. Something had been sparking in my chest the other night when I ordered Hazel around, something that had pushed through the barriers that were holding me back now.

I needed to reach back to that, but maybe it was a good thing I didn't have it now. Because if this trick worked, then it was worth the wait.

"You've been eating an awful lot? I mean, look at all that." I waved a hand back at the heaps of fallen plates and cups "Don't you feel full?"

Franks shook his head, the glaze fading from his eyes as worry sparked to life.

"All that food, all at once, it's not healthy. Not at all. I'm no expert, but I don't think it's good for you."

"Where is she going with this?" Luke hissed to Percy "And more importantly when is she going to get there?"

"But it's so good."

Luke's doubt washed away as Frank finally spoke up, cheeks stuffed full, eyes wide.

"I know it is." I quickly pressed on "But just because it tastes god doesn't mean your body likes it. I mean, you could have a stroke or heart attack or something. And maybe it could just start rolling around in there like you're on a merry-go-round."

Frank went a little green, and his stomach gurgled uncomfortably.

"And before you know it, it starts turning faster and faster and faster."

Frank wasn't the only one who looked green now. Hazel was starting to sway, eyes crossing as she tried to keep her balance. It was working. I pushed harder, throwing all I had into my CharmSpeak as I went on.

"And then it goes up and down, and spinning around, going faster and faster. Then before you know it you go upside down and-"

"I'm gonna be sick." Frank moaned, rolling away from the buffet and stumbling around, trying to find the bathroom.

"We'll help you out." Haze said, quickly starting to steer him towards the exit.

I grinned, only for fear to bubble up as I saw the monsters starting to converge. They obviously hadn't expected us to actually get Frank away from the food, and they didn't look like they were coming to congratulate us on our achievement.

Golden dust suddenly erupted in the crowd, the dancers completely ignorant as more explosions went off around them. My eyes caught movement and I saw Percy snaking his way through the mob, golden sparkles glittering across his skin.

Damn, he was good.

Anyone who got too close to Frank and Hazel was quickly dispatched by the son of Poseidon, but the closer they got, the more monster moved in.

"They'll be fine," Luke stated, helping to steer me towards the edge of the audience.

"If you say so."

I felt tired all of the sudden, my voice raw and dry.

"How'd you do that by the way? You finally figure out how to boss us around?"

I managed a weak laugh and gave him a playful nudge. "If I could boss you around, we wouldn't be talking."

Luke smirked at that.

"I like where that's going. Let's pick that up again when there aren't monsters who'd love to spill our guts on the dancefloor."

"Let's keep that a maybe Romeo."

Luke shrugged noncommittally asking "So what was that trick?"

I thought for a second, trying to put it into words.

"People don't like being told what to do. Well most of them anyways. They like doing what they think they should do, or this time, what I think they should do."

Luke nodded in understanding.

"Ah, suggestion. Pretty clever. Good to know you've got a nice brain to go with that hot bod."

"You know for someone who acts like he's god's gift to women, you suck as a womanizer."

Luke grinned mischievously and suddenly I was in his arms, halfway in a passionate kiss. I gasped, electricity rushing through the contact, my hands clawing at his hair and across his skin, his lips hungry against my lips and neck. And then he pushed me away.

I stumbled back, eyes wide, a hunger bubbling out from inside me. Damn, that was… I don't even know.

"Still doubt my abilities?" Luke winked.

"You could use a few pointers." I tried to keep my voice light and ignore my racing heart.

That had felt good. It had been three days since I was with someone like that, three days since I had felt that familiar rush burning through my veins.

"I'll give you a full show later," Luke promised, starting to stalk off.

Damn, he was hot. Everybody was hot. The song was starting to pull me in, making me sway to the rhythm. All that skin, all those people…

They could wait for me to catch up. I deserved a little break. I rushed into the mob, sighing in ecstasy at the contact, all the touching. Gods I missed this. So damn good. I wanted more. The music was beating in time with my heart, going faster and faster.

My lips felt numb, lightning racing through me, and a familiar touch sliding across my skin.

" _That's right my little whore, remember what you really are,_ " Kelli whispered in my ear, grinding up against me.

Wait, Kelli? No, they had killed her! And you could tell. She was scarred and burned, covered in blood, a half-melted version of her former beauty. But she was changing as I watched, as I kept on dancing. The color was coming back to her as she filled out, her beauty starting to reform.

A think pink line of light was starting to form between our chests, growing brighter and larger by the second. Was that my bond? Why was it coming back?

" _Just give in Lust,_ " Kelli whispered fangs bared as she started to fully reform.

Gods, I was bringing her back, I was giving back into Lust! I tried to pull away, only to end up grinding up against the nearest partygoer, my mind going fuzzy at the new touch. Was Lust really that bad? I mean, what was so wrong with this. I could live like this, I'd been happy.

Kelli's grin turned into a scowl, and she pounced at me, looking more solid now that ever. I just stood there, swaying to the music, grinning like an idiot. Kelli's outstretched claws slashed across my cheek, her fanged, bloody mouth going straight for my neck.

"Need a hand?"

Something pulled me away, whisking me away just as Kelli's fangs snapped shut. She howled in rage before the pink light vanished and she faded back into nothingness. The hand's pulling me stopped, opting instead to twist me around, a hand finding my wait and another grabbing my hand, guiding me into a slow dance, careful to keep from touching me or anyone else in the crowd.

The blonde girl holding me chuckled at my dazed face as we danced, gray eyes glinting with purpose.

"You look like you needed some air." Her voice sliced through the music around us with ease, strong and confident.

"I was… yeah." I managed, unable to stop speaking idiot.

"Feeling better?

I nodded, unwilling to take my eyes off the girl. I'd seen her around before, always alone on the edge of the audience, always watching. No, studying. Those eyes took in everything they saw, pulling apart, analyzing how it ticked from every angle.

She was dressed modestly too in a pair of gray capris, purple chucks, a white blouse and a black vest, and a neat mottled black fedora atop her head. Hanging down the front of her shirt was an owl pendant and at her side… was that a dagger?

The girl pulled me aside, my gaze shifting back to looked at her face. Damn, she was strong, I could feel the muscles under my hand at her shoulder. Funny, the way she moved reminded me a lot of Percy, her elegance holding that same strange alien grace I knew no one else could have.

"You're gorgeous." I blurted, my mind still blank.

Hell, had I just said that out loud? The girl just smiled slightly, reaching up to tuck a stray strand of blonde hair back in its ponytail.

"You should go find your friends they could probably use your help." She said, taking a step back and putting her hands behind her back.

I nodded dumbly and the girl gave a polite nod and started to walk away.

"Wait!"

The blond paused, tilting her head to the side patiently.

"I, uh, didn't catch your name."

Smooth Piper. This was so much easier as Lust, it didn't matter who you were or what you looked like, all that mattered was mutual desire. No. No that was bad, I was not going back to that again. I didn't want Kelli, I didn't want her to be haunting me again.

So, I guess making myself out to be a fool was worth it for a cute girl. The girl in question tilted her head, the crowd parting around her, music still pumping.

"Annabeth. Annabeth Chase."

And then she was gone, vanishing in an instant into the crowd. Another familiar blonde burst up next to me and caught hold of my arm, Luke dragging em towards the door.

"I saw that by the way, you're lucky you got away." He stopped as a conga line went by, looking impatient.

"From Annabeth?"

Crap, was she a bad guy too?

"Annabeth? You saw her here? Never mind. I meant Kelli. That Siren's trying to get you back under Kronos' spell, you need to get out of here before it happens again."

Luke propelled me to the door, but I held on, not seeing Percy up ahead where Hazel and Frank were waiting.

"What about you guys?" What were they going to be up to this time?

Luke just shrugged, glancing back in the club.

"Percy and I are going to take care of some business and get the club a new act. We should be right out."

I nodded, casting a last look back as Luke disappeared back into the mob. I was almost out the door when I caught sight of Annabeth in the corner as always, half shrouded in shadows. She was talking to someone, smiling affectionately at them while they stayed hidden in the darkness.

The music pumped and the lights flashed as I strained my eyes trying to see, and I watched Percy grin back at her, talking animatedly.

Percy knew Annabeth?

And then I was out the door, feet echoing eerily as I came to a stop beside Hazel and a sick looking Frank. Time to play the waiting game.

**Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Luke POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Half-Blood Swag**

**14** days, **9** hours, **42** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

The Siren was starting to get on my nerves.

First Hazel had started falling back under her spell, the need coming back to her Greed, and now Piper had nearly succumbed to Lust. Kelli had even started to reform, it was only out of pure luck that Annabeth chick had swooped in to save the day.

I wasn't willing to risk anymore uglies reforming, especially not when we were just about to take out another sin. I wanted my Redemption, and nothing was going to get in the way of that. It was time to take the Siren down.

Which was sadly easier said than done. Guards flanked the stage, real guards, not the little minions who were running around and partying with the trapped mortals and demigods.

Kronos was letting us get the sins with minimal effort and that worried me. When a guy protects the entertainment more than the seven jackpots he's just scored, you know he's up to something. Eventually getting them out wasn't going to be so easy, and Kronos was going to start throwing some punches. We needed to be ready for when that happens. And since the best defense is offense, then that mean it was time to attack and our target was up on stage.

With the town free, we'll get some more pull around here, it would give us a definite victory. Granted we'll have to work and protect the mortals, but I can live with that. No, the only problem right now was the guards and the Siren herself.

The guards in question were Oreius and Agrius, the bear twins. I'd had the unfortunate pleasure of making their acquaintance back before I got locked up in a back con gone wrong. They weren't the brightest bulbs in the shack or even the whole store for that matter, but what they lacked in brains they more than made up for with the fact that they were walking walls of meat.

Their furry hides were thick enough to deflect most blows, they were strong enough to smash concrete with weaker blows, and they easily towered a good two and a half feet over the crowd, their beady eyes scowling out across the crowd.

And then, of course, there was the issue of the Siren. Her voice may have been spread out, but the closer you got to the stage, the more powerful it got. Those closest weren't dancing or swaying at all, they were staring, blank-faced and drooling.

We'd need Percy's psycho resistance to get close, and I'd need to keep the guards distracted long enough for him to get rid of the beastie.

"Percy!" I called, catching sight of him in the corner.

He spun around, pushing someone behind him into the shadows of a pillar. For a second I thought I saw blonde locks, but then the lights faded and they faded.

"Who's that?" I asked as he came over, trying to peer into the darkness over his shoulder.

"Somebody I was interrogating. Did Piper get out okay?"

"Yeah, I have her waiting with Frank and Hazel outside."

"You left them alone? Luke, Haze's barely able to lift a sword and Piper exhausted herself persuading Frank to come out, they're sitting ducks out there!"

He tried to march past but I caught his arm and pointed towards the stage.

"We've got bigger problems kiddo. The Siren's starting to get on my nerves, it's time to give her the boot."

Percy nodded grimly, eyes flashing to the twins.

"You take the guards, I'll get on stage."

I started to nod, only to frown and turn back to him.

"Wait, can't you just blast 'em with water or something again? If we just do that then we can take them out all at…" I trailed off as Percy shook his head.

"Equal response, that's how they've been playing the club. We attack, they attack. That's the only reason I got away with dusting those ones who tried to get a little too friendly with Frank and Hazel on the way out. If I start throwing around powers, so do they, and there are way too many hostages right now."

I groaned, glaring around at the mindless partygoers.

"Fine, let's get this over with. The place is starting to stink."

We moved out, Percy hanging back as I went ahead, the bear's eyes following me as I got closer.

"Well lookie what we gots here brother," Agrius growled, fangs curling up into a fierce grin.

Oreius growled and raised his haunches, the two easily intercepting me as I approached.

"Hey, what's the holdup? I've got backstage passes." I complained, holding up an old napkin then promptly shoving it back in my pocket before they could get a good look.

They grumbled, looking back and forth uncertainly.

"There are no backstage passes," Agrius growled.

"Then why do I have one?"

That stumped them. They turned to each other, whispering hoarsely back and forth before giving me an uncertain look.

"Well, Geryon didn't say anything about backstage passes or nothin. Matter a fact, he said we should eat y'all if ya came to get a gander."

"Screw Geryon, I got this pass from Kronos himself. You want to go up against him?"

They grumbled worriedly, looking concerned.

"Well Lord Kronos wants… I mean if he did then… but Geryon said you might try and trick us."

I shrugged, starting to turn around.

"Alright, I'll just go and tell Kronos you two wouldn't let me in and we'll see what happens."

There was an audible gulp, the bears' eyes going wide with panic.

"You know he wasn't in a good mood last I heard," I called back, "I think he was planning on getting a nice spitfire going and shish-kabob the next moron who disobeyed his orders. I wonder what bear-kabob's taste like?"

I only took two steps before their claws caught me, spinning me back around.

"Don't make him mad! We taste gross, all gristly, you wouldn't like it. Here, go, go!"

I smirked at their frantic voices, confidently starting to head for the stage. This was easier than I remembered. Of course, right about now was when my con had failed last time. The twins had gotten their boss' attention with their squabbling after I tricked them, and he'd caught me red handed on the way back out with my prizes in hand and his girlfriend's hickeys on my throat.

It had not been a great encounter.

Unfortunately, history has a nasty way of repeating itself and has shown its all too content with making my life perfectly miserable. I was almost to the stage when the three-chested cook, Geryon, stepped in front of me, blocking the path and crossing his chests.

"You lost stranger? Because I don't take kindly to rule breakers and in case you didn't notice-" He jerked a thumb to a sign taped to the wall that read 'Do not approach the stage' in big bold letters "You're breaking one of them."

"What about those guys?" I pointed to the poor souls who stood lifeless right up front.

"Special cases. And believe me _Castellan_ , you are no special case."

I grinned at the way he said my name.

"Oh good, my reputation precedes me. Let's just skip the formalities then, shall we?"

Geryon let out an oomph as my foot connected with his stomach, sending him sprawling across the floor. I whirled around as the twins roared in anger and rushed me. I ducked under their swiping paws, unsheathing my sword and landing in a few blows.

The bears had gotten slow since the last time we fought; or the more likely case, I'd was that much faster and twice as skilled. I spun around, kicking the back of Agrius' leg, laughing at his pained cry as he collapsed to his knees.

"Come on you ugly git, come and get some!" I smiled cheekily as they helped each other up, giving them a bow "I'll just let you pick which one's the ugly one, it's a little too close of a call for me."

I was still grinning as a noose wrapped around my neck and I was yanked down to the floor, sword clattering out of my hands. I yelped, only to regret the decision an instant later as my oxygen got cut off, the rope starting to tight around my throat.

I clawed at the knots as Geryon approached, the other end of the rope wrapped around his hand.

"The big boss only paid to make sure his old toy was safe, he didn't say anything about you. You know I've got more than a few clients around here who would pay a pretty penny to have your head mounted on their wall. What? No witty remarks, no comebacks? What do you have to say about that?"

Not much, I was running low on air. I choked, the trio laughing above me as they tightened the noose. I could even hear the Siren laugh, a mirthful cackle flowing with the music. Music that suddenly stopped.

My vision was going blurry as my captors looked up to the stage as the guitars started up, a new voice spreading out through the room.

" _Hey princess, in a white dress, chuck Taylors, got me obsessed_."

Wait, that voice was familiar. Geryon let the noose draw slack, eyes locked on stage. I gasped as I managed to squeeze in a drag of air, forcing myself up with bleary eyes as the song continued.

" _Wanna see you, so when can we hang out_ ,"

Was that…? No, it couldn't be. I looked blearily up on stage. Well, what do you know? Percy was onstage, anxiously clutching a microphone. His voice was scratchy, but something was different about it, something that made even the siren take pause for a moment. He was Charm Speaking the song.

" _Hey princess, in a contest, you're the queen and you own the rest, someday we're gonna take the crown_."

The dancers had stopped moving, the mist starting to vanish from their expressions, staring at Percy with curiosity. It was the look of people waking up, only to find a star glowing over their bed. The Siren had noticed the sudden loss of adoration and started singing along, her voice sharp, thick with magic.

" _Let's go, let go, hold on to me, oh, oh, let's go, I'm a let you know!_ "

Percy flinched at the tones, the glaze starting to reform in the audience. Come on Percy, be stupid, you got this! As they hit the chorus, Percy's determination was steeled, determination flashing in his eyes as he got in the Siren's face, both pouring magic into their mikes.

" _I'll be the one that's storming the castle, we'll be the two hearts beating faster, 'ever you want, 'ever you want I'm down. I'll be the one that makes you adore me, we'll be the two to end the story, one that I want, one that I want I found. It's your kiss, hey princess!_ "

The crowd was moving now, life starting to flare through them as Percy got more and more confident. The Siren's glare intensified as she threw in more magic, the two trading off lines now, the crowd stopping to watch, the power of a Siren battling the CharmSpeak of Aphrodite and the Empousa.

The Siren took an experimental jab at Percy midline, turning it into a flashy arm wave. It turned out to be her biggest mistake of the night. Percy jumped back, spinning around mid-step, a simple maneuver, but all eyes were instantly glued to him.

All the power he was using from Lust had increased, making it so the longer you watched him, the more you never wanted to stop watching him. Percy started grinning, twisting and waving his arms, spinning back and forth as the song went on. As more eyes started turning to Percy, the Siren poured out her heart, her powers blasting through the crowd, even pulling me in for a second.

But then Percy was moving and singing again and the crowd was back to him. I sat up more, only to realize that the musical battle had even caught Geryon and the twins under its spell. I took my change, yanking the noose out of Geyron's hands and off my neck, grabbing my sword and rushing backstage.

The faun working the lights and sound was frozen, eyes glued to the stage as I made my way over, pushing him away from the soundboard and buttons. Percy and the Siren harmonized on a high note and I slowed, my head caught between the two.

Bad memories, give me bad memories, something to focus with. My mom going crazy. The years of abuse. My dad saying he was sorry, that he loved me as he plunged a knife in my back. The song's beauty died at the thoughts and I managed to focus again.

Time for some fun. I glanced around trying to find the right buttons only to give up a second later and just start pressing everything.

Lights flared, a fog machine started up, pieces of the stage started to raise and rotate as they kept on singing, adapting to their changing environment while still never missing a single note. I could see the crowd behind them. Whether the Siren wanted to admit it or not, she was losing control of the situation. The crowd was going wild, freaking out and charging closer, singing along, eyes fixed on the pair.

Percy whirled around, letting his back face the frantic crowds as the Siren finished singing the bridge. He was panting hard, looking worried. I waved, catching his attention and quickly signing out a message- _Show her what you got!_

Percy grinned and held up his hand, counting down from five as the Siren let the last note fall. The crowd frowned, the new competition seemingly losing the sudden match as the Siren started to sing again. Percy closed his fist as he hit zero and I slammed my hand down on the control board.

The Siren's microphone squealed and died, the spotlight singling out her enemy on stage. Percy rounded on her with full force, voice thick with CharmSpeak, a grin plastered to his face that made the crowd go crazy.

I set the functions to auto and ran back out, pushing my way up to the stage front, noose held tightly. Percy feinted, rushing towards the Siren, and she yelped, recoiling in fear only to start teetering on the edge of the stage.

The audience grabbed her, pulling her away as Percy serenaded them, voice slicing the now silent Siren's spell to shreds.

"Hi!" I grinned down at the Siren who had just been deposited at my feet.

She squawked in fear, trying to back up, but I threw the noose around her neck, pulling her up and forcing her to watch as Percy stole her show, all eyes on him.

"Noooo!" She let out a pitying wail, but no one was paying her any attention, it was all about Percy now.

The crowd was alive, screaming and shouting as he hopped around, his every nod and move sending the screams an octave higher. Dang, that kid was actually pretty good. I smirked, watching him slide across the stage, skin sparkling with gold dust, looking like some rock star as he kept on singing.

The other blonde boy- Jason- caught my eye as he made his way up to the stage, cheering louder as he got closer.

" _We'll be the two the to end the story, One that I want, one that I want I found, It's your kiss!_ "

Something in me clenched up as Percy's eyes found Jason's at that last part, Percy winking and briefly letting their outstretched hands touch before whirling away, hopping to center stage and finishing with " _Hey princess!_ "

The crowd went wild, chanting and screaming, smiles everywhere. Percy was panting, that doofus grin glowing as he leaped around the stage before giving me a nod. I gave the noose a sharp tug and twisted hard, the Siren going stiff in my arms.

"Say hi to my ex for me," I muttered as she exploded into golden dust.

Percy hopped off the stage, looking bashful at all the attention as he grabbed me and we ran for the door. On the way, I caught a few strange looks as people saw my sword and the demigods saw the monsters around them.

People were waking up, but we would have to do damage control here later, we'd wasted a little too much fun and time taking down the Siren.

"Nice job up there kiddo, you pulled a hell of a number."

Percy flashed a grin over his shoulder. "I had to do something, you were as useless as ever. Just don't plan on me ever doing that again, I feel like I just gargled shards of glass and a few handfuls of salt and barbwire."

"Whatever. Now come on, let's see just how much trouble they got into while we were busy."

The grins faded from our faces as we heard an angry cry from outside the door, unearthly cries echoing into the hallway.

I swore under my breath and we raced for the door, drawing our swords for a fight.

**Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Hazel POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Outside of Half-Blood Swag**

**14** days, **9** hours, **40** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Frank looked had put on a few pounds since I last really saw him. Sure, he had always been a little pudgy, but it was the cute kind of pudgy that screamed 'hug-me-I'm-a-cuddly-teddy-bear'. This was the overweight by a good hundred and eighty pounds, sweating profusely, and huffing with every breath kind of pudgy.

His stomach was making strange noises, and he kept groaning and moaning and I couldn't do anything to help. Whatever Piper had done had put him through a real number. But at least he was out of the club and away from the food.

At least, I thought he was until he started licking his sticky fingers and pulling out candy bars from his obscenely stretched pockets.

"Frank, remember your stomach," I said, trying to keep the guilt out of my voice. I may want to get him to stop just as much as the rest of them, but that didn't mean I wasn't guilty of making him feel sick.

"I'm starving." Frank moaned, stuffing a chocolate bar in his mouth.

What was I supposed to do? I had to help him. I mean, this was the boy who'd stood up for me at school, the one who'd bashfully tried to ask me out on Valentine's day only to lose his nerve. He'd been so cute, so strong. My turn to be the strong one.

I glanced up as Piper joined us, a dreamy smile on her face.

"Are they coming?" I asked, patting Frank's back and rubbing gently, trying to ease his sickness.

"Yeah. They said something about getting a new act. I don't know. Sorry. I wasn't really paying attention, I was kind of distracted."

I was opening my mouth to pry for more details when the music started, two voices battling for supremacy, both sweeter than honey. A dreamy smile came to my lips as well, an excitement in my chest telling me to jump and shout, to wake up.

"That's CharmSpeak." Piper spoke up, foot tapping to the beat "I think that's Percy singing."

Huh, I'd have to get Percy to sing at my Christmas recital, he'd fit right in with the angels. I snickered at the thought of Percy with a halo and wings. Knowing him they'd somehow be blue. Hang on, how the heck had I gotten there? Sheesh, my train of thought was way, of course, must be all the magic.

"They're taking on the Siren."

Piper nodded in agreement, both of us thinking about what would happen next. Town had been dead, stuck here while the monsters took over, keeping everyone corralled in one area. What would happen now that they weren't corralled? Monsters freely roamed the town, we couldn't just let people get hurt.

Nah, Percy had a plan. He'd know what to do. I rearranged Frank, heaving him a little higher and grinning as the music came to a whole new high. I could only hear Percy now. We'd won.

"Alright, so what now?"

I took a deep breath, glancing towards Frank.

"Well, one they get out you're going to help me get Frank back to the Shoebox. Then we're going to try and get him to start eating. I don't know how long that's going to take, by the look of it, it could be days, so we have to hurry. We just have to get him to stop being Gluttony, and then we have Frank on our side. Then Percy and Luke go and kill the monster."

"And how do we get him to stop being Gluttony?"

I shrugged at that. Up until now our heroes had just been winging it the whole time, turning my Greed against me and using a traumatic experience and my Mist powers scare Piper straight. How were we going to fix Frank? High-intensity diet? Workout sessions? I had absolutely no clue. But we could do it, I knew that much.

My ears perked up as something scraped the ground behind me, and I whirled around, catching sight of the skeletal warriors that were only a few feet away now, deathly silent.

"Pipes!"

Piper glanced back, only to swear, drawing her strange knife and joining my side.

"Get back!" She ordered, waving her weapon threateningly.

The skeletons kept advancing, gripping rusted weapons in their bony fingers.

"Go die in a hole!" She tried again, voice layered with CharmSpeak.

Their bones rattled, but the warriors kept moving, some starting to raise swords. Not good. Wait, I was a daughter of Pluto! Death was my domain!

I hoisted Frank to the side, standing defiantly and raising a hand towards them exclaiming "Yield to the daughter of death! Return to thy slumber and trouble the living no more fiends! In the name of my father, I rebuke thee!"

The skeletons hesitated, stopping only a few feet away. The street was silent, a cold, ghostly breeze rushing past. Had that really worked? I'd just jumbled a bunch of my mama's old horror movie exorcists and the local pastor. Maybe I did have some potential as a daughter of Pluto.

And then with surprising speed, the nearest skeleton struck, their blade slicing through the air towards my head.

I'm pretty sure if it hadn't been for Piper rushing forward and blocking the blow I would have died right then and there. The rest of the band advanced, attacking Piper and surrounding her from every angle.

"Sorry Frank, stay safe!"

I carefully set him on the ground and drew my sword, rushing in to cover Piper's back as they closed in. We stood back to back, deflecting blows and dancing around, trying to throw a shot. I'm pretty sure we only lasted as long as we did because the skeletons were slow to start up. If they all had moved as fast as that first one then we would have been in a real pickle.

We were struggling now, trying to block their attacks and escape. I saw one peel off from the group, going after Frank. He was still on the ground, a chocolate bar stuff in his mouth, eating greedily.

"Frank!"

Frank didn't look up or even move as the warrior raised their hatchet, the weapon trembling as it reached its peak.

I had to use my powers, they were too far away. Thus far, anytime I successfully used my powers I was either drained or I ended up with zero control. I had to risk it. My head told me to go with Mist, to focus and reshape reality, to use the magic. I actually knew how to use that now, and most of the time it actually obeyed, even though it made my blood boil to use it. But instinct took over, and my hand flew through the air, snapping towards a manhole in the center of the street.

The iron slab rattled, and I snapped my hand back towards the skeleton attacking my crush. The manhole rocketed into the air, flipping over and over in the air. It collided with the warrior, its bones cracking and shattering at the brute force, the cover embedding itself into the far wall.

"Think you can pull that off again Magneto?" Piper asked, kicking a skeleton in the chest and pushing me out of the way as another swung a hammer through where my head had been.

I tried again as the one with the hammer came after me, the large metal head slowing through the air as I held out my hand, until it froze in the air only an inch away from my palm. The skeleton let out an unearthly howl, pushing down with all its force, the hammer shaking in the air as I pushed back against it.

I started pushing back, the metal hammer starting to push back up in the air away from me, the skeleton struggling to keep it steady. Come on, just a tad more, just a pinch…

I was so caught up in pushing the metal I never noticed the skeleton raise its hand. I did notice when it backhanded me, the bone hitting with surprising force and sending me falling into the nearest warriors. I collapsed to the ground, managing to roll away as they slashed down at me and looked back in time to see Piper dive away, one of them slicing through the back of her shirt.

"My dad bought this for me you jerk!" She cursed, elbowing her attacker back hard enough to send their skull rolling down the sidewalk.

It was a challenge not to laugh in the middle of the attack, bringing my spatha down on another attacker to give her some breathing room.

"Don't worry, it's a good look!" Piper snorted, jabbing under my exposed arm to block another charge in my blind spot "Reminds me of those rave shirts we bought for Halloween!"

She laughed, ducking back to protect Frank "I still have that shirt!"

This was our element, real combat, so casual and relaxed. Adrenaline pumped every muscle, broke down every wall; this was what it meant to be a demigod. At least, that's what it was going to be like. Two demigods who had barely knew how to swing swords could only get so far.

They were pushing us back, a stray blow knocking my sword out of my hands. I grabbed at it through the air, the metal rattling. The hilt shook, starting to slide across the ground towards me, but a skeleton glanced down, snatching it up and holding on tight.

Then they started rounding on me, starting to move faster and faster. Well, this was not good, not at all. I heard Frank behind me and looked back. His eyes were on me, looking wide and panicked. Was he scared? I had to protect him, I had to do something!

Piper gave an angry cry, trying to come to my rescue, but I didn't pay attention, instead focusing my power somewhere else. Metal wasn't working, time to go back to Mist. My eyes shot open, my insides burning with power and the whole area starting to change, pure Mist taking over the whole street. It enveloped the skeletons, their cries falling silent as they were sucked into their own minds, completely lost to reality.

I should have led with this it was so much easier. All I had to do was let their own minds (however nonexistent) take over and let them be lost in the illusion. I mean sure I had to make sure none of us got caught in the Mist and keep control otherwise we could get hurt (I'd learned that the hard way, I'd almost put Luke in a coma when I was practicing the other day. Focus was a must when you worked with the Mist. If you lost control even for a second, it could turn on you. It was a force of chaos that wanted to do whatever it wanted, you were just its conduit into reality). But then it all went wrong. The door shot open and Percy and Luke ran out, swords drawn, ready for a fight.

"Haze, Pipes!" Percy called, eyes flashing around the area.

I jumped, losing control as the illusion took control, calling out to warn them, but it was too late. They ran straight into an oncoming wave of Mist, and suddenly their cries were lost, all evidence that they had ever been there in the first place erased.

A second later, Percy and Luke were lost in the Mist with the skeletal warriors.

* * *

**Sorry if that was too long, I'm doing my best. If the characters seem a bit OOC, that's because they're either dealing with stuff or recovering from their sins. Also, the music bit was something I'm experimenting with, so don't burn me to hard for that. Anyways, you guys better like it, so please read and review, it really helps! Anyways, thanks for reading this much, hope you folks have a fantastic morning/day/night!**

 


	15. Chinese Canadian Baby Man

 

 

 

**Chinese Canadian Baby Man**

Luke POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, Outside Half Blood Swag**

**14**  days,  **9** hours, **38**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Someone hadn't paid the gravity bill.

At least I'm pretty sure they hadn't. People don't usually start randomly floating around, do they? My mind was glitching out, thinking was like shoving my brain into a shredder full of angry fire ants. It was like being back on drugs, only without the high to make it all worth it.

Let's see, what was going on again? Oh right, I was floating- wait no, now I was swimming. Water was burning my lungs and weighing me down, a violent current tugging me into the depths. When had we decided to go swimming again? Sure, I didn't mind showing off my perfect body to everyone and being able to window-shop for potential good looking hookups was nice, but I'm pretty sure I wasn't at the beach.

And what was all that white stuff rolling above the surface and at the edges of my vision? It looked like thick fog or… Mist.

Oh right. Percy and I had rushed out to save the day only for Hazel to sucker-punch us with a face full of Mist. My eyes darted around, trying to catch a glimpse of my partner, but the sea prince was nowhere in sight. Fantastic.

I struggled to reach the surface, only for the water to suddenly vanish, instantly replaced by a burning desert. Smoldering sand burned through the soles of my shoes as I hit the ground, and an arid gust singed my skin while the sun beat down on me, hot and oppressive.

"Is it too much to ask or do you think you could possibly KNOCK IT OFF HAZEL?" I screamed, the words whisked away in the harsh desert winds.

Teaching her how to manipulate the Mist so soon had not been a good idea. Percy was willing to take the gamble of training all these newbies, determined to use them to hit the jackpot. Having just little under a month to teach these kids was never going to be enough. They were strong, some even bastards of the Big Three. We didn't have time to teach them control or ease them into their styles.

Giving four-year old's shotguns and bazookas were safer than giving these guys access to their powers at this point. They were too unpredictable and too temperamental. All it takes is one little temper tantrum and the next thing you know we have a new Vesuvius erupting where we used to be. Not a pretty picture.

Granted I'd just summed up Percy in basically two words, but still, the point remained.

The Mist was dangerous- It's what scrambled the mortal's brains to keep them from seeing the monsters and the mythical world, separated as they should be. Unfortunately, in strong doses, it could also start affecting demigods and even monsters and gods. And now it was buzzing around in our heads.

The sands shifted near me and a skeletal warrior started to emerge, dressed in rags and bleached by the light.

"Nice touch. Skeleton mummy warriors in the desert. That definitely hasn't been used a hundred times or anything."

The illusion was sadly unaffected by my sarcasm, lurching towards me, rags waving in the breeze and bony claws outstretched. I ignored it and started walking on, waiting for Hazel to run out of juice and let everything fade.

I didn't even bother glancing back at the ugly coming up behind me. Hazel hadn't mastered the Mist enough to physically impact reality yet. This was all in my head, it couldn't hurt me.

The gods must be cracking up in Olympus at that, probably tweeting something like #LolNoob. My back flared in very real pain as the skeleton raked its hand across my back. I swore, spinning around reaching for my sword. It wasn't there. Right, I had dropped it when the Mist rolled over me.

I ducked under its next swipe and smacked the side of its head. Its bones rattled as it fell back, a gold patch sprouting where I had struck. Hmm… Well, when life gives you lemons, take the shot. I rushed the beastie before it could recover, grabbing at its joints and willing Greed to flow through me.

Midas' golden touch came easily, I might not even need gloves anymore to keep in control. Hazel's abilities though were sadly still far out of my reach. Still, though, the skeletons strange squeal as its joints were locked into place under my fingers satisfied that disappointment. For the moment, anyways.

I worked fast, and in a matter of seconds, the skeleton was paralyzed from the neck down. The thing screamed bloody murder, furiously snapping its dry jaws in my direction.

"For god's sakes."

I slapped my hands to the sides of its jawbone as it clamped shut, gold spreading and locking it in place. The sound cut off, the skeleton shaking in vain to free itself. I gave it a mock salute and started to walk away, only for a geyser of seawater to knock me off my feet, the sand turning to steaming mud as I landed.

I spluttered, the salt burning my eyes and sat up. That had definitely not been Mist. My skeleton was mobile again, the gold washing away in rivulets of shining water. Well, maybe mobile wasn't the best way to describe it.

The blast had knocked a second skeleton warrior into it, pulverizing bone and practically fusing them together. They struggled to get back up, a mess of shattered bone fragments and mismatched limbs. Then they collapsed and stopped moving, golden dust draining from their dirty bones.

"I blame you for this!"

I glared up at the figure, outlined by the burning sun above, finding Percy advancing towards me, Riptide drawn. Damn it, why didn't I have a magic sword? Thanks for a hell of a lot of nothing dad.

"Me? You're the one who hit me and it's your pet demigod who got us in this mess." I shot back, getting back to my feet.

"I meant the ambush, idiot. If you hadn't got caught back there we could have been back here in time to deal with all this."

"Get over yourself Jackson, if it hadn't been for you showboating up on stage we'd have-"

The scene around us shifted again, the air turning musty, the light turning to inky and the space around us rapidly closing in. Now we were in an old, decrepit building, cobwebs covering up years of disrepair and a thick blanket of dust doing nothing to hide the rot and decay.

White sheets had been thrown over old furniture and an old dirty window showed a thick, dark forest surrounding the property and a full moon high above in a dark and starless sky.

"We need to get that girl an imagination," I muttered, shaking my head at the horror movie clichés.

I took an experimental step, rolling my eyes as the floorboards creaked underneath my feet. So original. We were turning back to the door at the other end of our room started to rattle, and Percy and I tensed up, waiting. A second later the door swung open, ghostly white women suspended from the ceiling flying in, screaming their lungs out.

Hollywood banshees. Gods, could you get any worse? They flew around us, screeching their songs, harmlessly flying around. These monsters really were only illusions, I could see the Mist they left in their wake.

"Come on Perce, let's get out of here."

I felt myself frown though as I turned to face Percy, finding him curled up on the ground, Riptide lying uselessly at his side. He was shaking, hands clasped over his ears. That haunted look had returned to his eyes, the green pooling out, leaving only unyielding blue.

"Percy!"

He couldn't hear me. Or maybe he just didn't want to. He had stopped shaking now. I tried getting to him, but the banshees were unhinging their mouths and drawing closer and cutting us off as they circled Percy. Something was wrong with Percy, the screams did something to his head. I needed to do something, to stop them from-

And then I felt it.

There's a balance of power in the world, something built into demigods that let us know what or who we're dealing with. Some mortals even have it, a version of the Sight or a 6th sense I suppose. We feel when someone strong is nearby or when dangerous powers are being used or when something is just wrong. In that moment I felt all three.

Percy's typical presence, that familiar ebb and pull of the ocean that made up the son of Poseidon, vanished as something sinister, something wrong, struck out.

The ground shook and cracked, an omnidirectional tidal wave bursting out from Percy. I was slammed up against a wall, flesh screaming and ripping in some places from the force, choking as seawater filled my mouth and nose. The Mist flickered and dispersed, and I saw Hazel, Frank, and Piper in the distance looking dazed from the blast; it had released Hazel's concentration. Fuck that hurt. What the hell had all that been?

Curiosity faded and my attention snapped to the road around us. While the blast had been surprisingly tame coming from Percy, his powers as son of the Earthshaker were having their drawbacks. The asphalt cracked and started falling away, leaving only pitch black emptiness. It was like there was nothing but darkness underneath the street, only a few inches below the surface.

And there was Percy in the middle of it, the ground starting to crack and fracture while he stayed hunched up. He was shaking again, and I could see the green starting to flow back into his eyes, but he looked dazed and woozy, struggling to support himself.

"Percy move!"

He didn't even turn his head when the blacktop around him collapsed, leaving a hole in the void just waiting for him to get fall into. In a matter of seconds, the patch he was on would collapse.

I didn't think I just moved, making a mad dash over to him. The asphalt groaned and cracked underneath me, fissures zigzagging after me as I sprinted towards Percy. I skidded to a halt and yanked on his arm, tugging him away from the edge. Percy was jolted to his feet, but that's when it all went wrong. Again.

We hadn't made it a full step before my foot went straight through the ground. I swore, unintentionally pulling Percy down with me as I collapsed to the ground. Our combined weight was too much, and as we hit, the asphalt finally snapped and we fell down into darkness. We both yelled and hollered, bracing ourselves for a painful impact.

And then we hit, our bodies crashing into the roaring river at the bottom. I had a split second to think about the fact that there was somehow a practical river down here before my caught foot started dragging me down against the current. I sank down, lungs empty and burning for air. Please tell me this was just another Mist illusion. I am literally too incredible to die here because my stupid foot got trapped by a chunk of rock.

I couldn't see an inch ahead of me and the river was pitch black and ice cold. It only got worse, as the longer, I kept my eyes open, the more they burned. Slender fingers suddenly wrapped around me, dancing nimbly down to my leg. I struggled for a split second, panicking that it was another skeleton. But then Riptide suddenly appeared in my field of view, its dull glow illuminating the water around my foot.

Percy was hard at work, trying to yank my foot away. He adjusted Riptide, trying to get a better look, and tried to pull my leg again before apparently giving up. He placed his palm on the hunk of rock, and I felt a sudden tug in the water around my leg. The asphalt shattered as the current rushed through its marred surface, chunks instantly whisked downstream. Percy grabbed me by the waist, holding me tight and then the water was blasting us to the surface.

We exploded back into the air, flying up higher and higher, the darkness rushing around us. And then we fell. This time we hit hard rock, only a few feet from the river rushing through the sewers, the sound echoing through our heads in a never-ending cascade. Percy groaned while I gasped, lungs greedily sucking in all the air I could take.

"All part of the plan." Percy managed, leaning up into a sitting position.

I just grunted, teeth starting to chatter as my wet skin and waterlogged clothes met the frigid underground air.

"Awfully dark in here," Percy observed, standing up and lifting Riptide to examine the darkness around us.

Thank you captain obvious.

I shook my head, my wet hair plastering itself to my forehead while giving Percy envious looks. He was, of course, dry as a bone, not a single hair out of place. Damn Poseidon. Ah well, I'd been through worse, and that definitely wasn't my worst landing. I mean compared to our gravity defying free-fall from Olympus it had been kinda boring actually.

Not that I was complaining or anything. You complain too much about your life being boring and the Fates might decide to come in and spice things up. My life had more than enough of a kick in the ass thank you very much.

"Sheesh, this thing is deep. Take a look up there-" Percy motioned up into the gloom where I could see the holes in the street far above, like stars in this sewer darkness "That's about a forty, maybe fifty-foot drop. You're lucky, I realized there was water just in time. If I hadn't, there would have been a big Luke pancake down there right now."

I grunted, straining to my feet and scrutinizing the darkness. This wasn't like any sewer I'd ever seen before and with the street above only a few inches thick… What kind of place was this?

"I think I can get us to the surface, the water should be able to-"

I ignored whatever he was saying, opting instead to squint in the feeble light, seeing a thin series of wires running down the nearby wall like wild ivy. Wires meant electricity, and electricity meant light. It also could mean heinous security systems with motion sensing machine guns, but you gotta stay optimistic, right?

Who was I kidding?

I felt along the wall, following the wires, feeling along the smooth stone. This definitely wasn't a normal sewer. The stones were flat and strangely arranged, turning into sloping arches and inclines, and I think I could even feel writing engraved in the rectangular patches.

I let my hand trace the wires, tugging away as my fingers brushed past a spider's web. Finally, the wires wound up together and my hand caught on a bare bulb screwed into the wall. A few seconds of blindly groping around the base revealed a small switch.

With a flick of my wrist, the sewer lit up, the bulb flickering to life. For a brief second, I finally had a view of the underground we'd landed in. In the dim glow, I could see the roaring river, easily twenty feet at its widest point, the far edge still hidden in the shadows.

We were on a strangely raised embankment the walls and floor all made up of a solid slab of stone. They were carefully constructed pieces, with delicate arches leading into shadowy passageways. They traded off, the furthest being a dark hallway, the next holding a winged statue and what looked like some stone sarcophagi behind it, then a hallway, and so on.

I was still peering into the darkness when Percy let out a panicked yelp, wrenching me to his side and staring the statues down, eyes wide and his grip on me tight enough to put a boa constrictor to shame.

"Weeping Angles! Whatever you do don't blink!"

I blinked several times just for good measure, frowning as I glanced back and forth between the statues and Percy.

"Weeping what? What are you on about this time?"

Percy let out a nervous laugh and quickly distanced himself, running a hand through his hair.

"Weeping Angels. They're… Never mind what they are. Sorry, the Mist got me kind of paranoid."

"Go figure."

I was in the middle of an eye roll before remembering why we were down here in the first place.

"What was that up there? I demanded, rounding up on him.

It wasn't as easy as it used to be; he was only a few inches shorter than me now. Percy's gaze was empty as he shrugged, making it all too obvious that he had absolutely no intention of answering. The pipsqueak had his secrets, and getting him to spill them was going to be about as easy as prying a turtle out of its shell.

Probably just as painful too. I groaned again, giving him a withering glare before turning my attention back to the room.

"This place just keeps going, doesn't it? Almost like a catacomb, I'm guessing, at judging by the coffins and those death dates." I pointed to the engravings I'd felt in the shadows "Cool. And the way they built the town on top of it? I'm no architecture expert, but that's nowhere near safe. I mean, look."

Percy followed my gaze up, where I could see a series of iron reinforcements working to keep the street above up in the air.

"Isn't that a comforting thought. One wrong step and we could have gone splat ages ago." Percy mumbled with a moan "Thanks for the wonderful thought bro."

I ignored his sarcasm and went on, thinking back to our confrontation with Midas.

"This place must be huge. I think it leads all the way to where Midas was set up, I think I saw some of these arches over there. Which would mean the whole town must literally be right on top of it. Strange, I didn't think he'd want to be this close to running water. All it takes is a few drops and he could have lost his whole fortune and his advantage."

Percy nodded absentmindedly, still staring upwards.

"We should probably get back up now, we can check this place out after we make sure everyone's safe up there."

I was opening my mouth when a grinding, gurgling roar echoed through the tunnel, and a sudden waft of rotten flesh and death overtook us. I gagged, struggling to get a breath of fresh air to pump through the filth going through my lungs. Gods that was revolting.

"Something big is down there," Percy noted grimly, spinning Riptide around his hand a few times.

I nodded in agreement, turning back to the bulb and working a little Hermes magic. Curiosity was calling. We had fallen down into a catacomb system we hadn't even realized had existed, and just happened to hear something bad, a new big beastie, hidden further down in its depths.

I'm not a big believer in coincidence or accidents, and something told me that this wasn't just another random chance. A few seconds later my work paid off and the tunnel burst into light as more lights came on. Bulbs flickered into existence going down as far as I could see, before the tunnels twisted and cut off, illuminating the darkness.

Someone had been busy. Just like the wall beside us, the whole tunnel was full of arches and statues, with more names etched into the stone. But more modern arrangements had been made- a large section of the wall had been torn down, and a pipe large enough to drive a truck through had been jammed through, a deluge of frothing liquid crashing down to the river below.

Only, now that I saw it, I realized it wasn't exactly a river. Just a few more feet ahead of the pipes there was nothing but more of that same flat stone that made up the whole structure. The ground had been ripped up just a few feet further, leading to the steep decline that the water was pooling down to, and a glance down at the edge near our feet hinted that the edge was a recent addition. The rough-hewn rock and cement were scarred and cracked, leading down to pure dirt and bricks.

"This can't be a sewer." Of course, Percy would know, he'd lived in a few till I took him in "Those pipes there-" Percy gestured to some half-hidden pipes sticking out of the wall high above- "Now those are sewage pipes. You can tell, they got put in here carefully, look at the way they're placed. But that-" Now he pointed to the monstrously sized pipe jutting out of the wall up ahead "That's definitely going to be Kronos' handiwork, why I don't know. I think it's… seawater."

Sea water? Why were they pumping it into the city, the ocean was only about a mile away tops? If anything, shouldn't they be pumping it back out? More importantly, though, what could they possibly be using it all for?

Percy frowned, taking a knee and dipping his hand in, the water rushing through his fingers. He looked up to me, a childlike worry on his face.

"Something's wrong. It's a monster."

"They're pumping all this for some monster? What needs this kind of drink?"

Percy shook his head.

"No, it's not that. Well, I mean yeah it is being pumped in for a monster, I can feel it down there, down where the water ends. But that's not it. The water itself, it's wrong. There's something bad out there, something really, really bad out there in the ocean."

When Percy pointed to a blank wall ahead I had no doubt that he was pointing directing to the big blue wet thing in question without a doubt.

"How wrong are we talking? You used to freak out when you felt oil spills, but then there was the troll that was drowning everybody, and you felt that too. Is this like that?

"No. No there's something- someone _really_ bad out there. I can feel them, the waters pulled off traces, but it's diluted. Kronos has something hidden up his sleeves, and I know it's just…"

He trailed off as he struggled to find the right words, turning back and giving me a pleading look, trying to convey the message. I didn't' get the message, but I got the gist of it. Percy was in tune with these things, and if it was something out there was leaving enough essence around to be felt here, that meant trouble with a big old capital T.

"Okay, so we got a beastie out there. If you can feel it that strongly, I'm guessing it's a sin. What about the one in here, what can you give me there?"

Percy's frown deepened and he pushed his arm up to the elbow, clenching his eyes shut in focus. His face slowly contorted in disgust, keeping his eyes shut tight as he told me what he found.

"I can't get a good lock on it. It's definitely where all this water is going- there are more pipes around here, not just this one. They all lead to the monster, it's taking it all in so it can survive, it's…" Percy opened his eyes, expression going blank "Hungry."

Hungry. Big monster. Lots of water. Carefully hidden where we would never have thought to look. I wonder…

"Pipes bring in water from the sea, they bring in a lot of water, but I'm guessing they also bring in a lot of fish, right?"

In answer, he splayed his hand, the water clearing enough for me to see a school of fish unknowingly swimming towards their doom.

"It's something that doesn't have to move, constantly takes in water and food, and is hungry, right? Just want to make sure I'm right here."

Percy nodded.

"Well, then we found Gluttony. And I've got a feeling I know what it is."

"What?"

I just shook my head, starting to march down the tunnel, following the raging currents.

"You're a smart boy. Well, not really but maybe you'll finally get lucky. Come on, let's go get ourselves a beastie."

"Hey moron in case you've forgotten we can't kill it until Frank breaks his bond. We won't be able to do anything but annoy it even if we did find it. And back to the point, knowing what or who it is in the first place would help."

True. As long as Frankie was still bonded, we couldn't take out Gluttony. But something was telling me to keep going, promising that if I didn't' risk it, then we'd never get another chance at this.

"Perce, we have to go. The munchkins up there can handle themselves, hell maybe they could even break the bond themselves. But a chance like this is too good to pass up, even if we just do some recon or slow it down. I mean come on, you know what they say when life gives you lemons-"

"Burn life's house down. With the lemons." Percy responded instantly.

"Excuse me? I don't even… No. What?"

Percy shrugged.

"Inside joke. It's not a good idea though Luke. We need to get back to them, they could be in real danger."

"And we can't be there to hold their hands the whole way. Percy, remember why we're here. Tell me, why did we get dumped here?"

"Luke this isn't-"

"Tell me."

Percy gave a huff, eyes going steely and clenching his fists at his side.

"We came down here to save the world and stop Kronos."

"And what," I held up my arm, showing the manacle that had fused itself to my wrist and then grabbing his own "Are these reminders of?"

Percy pouted quietly for a long time before reluctantly saying "That we have a mission and we're still prisoners. But Luke, they're our friends, they're in danger!"

"So are we. I know you. You'd screw over the whole world just to save them, but that isn't an option. Maybe that's why they had two of us for this Moirai Trial. We can balance each other out, we make sure that things are happening. I keep you from screwing up everything you touch and getting too attached to the assets, and you keep me from… Honestly, all you do is knock my style points down a couple of pegs. But I'm sure you're important somehow."

Percy deadpanned and let out a long exaggerated grown, eyes traveling back to the broken patches of the ceiling above.

"Gods I really hate it when you're right. Just to clarify, I meant about them being on their own and our mission. The rest just proves you're a dick."

"My, such language!" I held a hand over my heart, grinning mockingly at the sea prince "Whatever happened to the innocent little rascal who beat me within an inch of my life every time I let out a couple of good old-fashioned curses?"

Wrong question. Percy's face was expressionless as he started stalking ahead, slamming into me as he went by.

"He died," Percy murmured, never taking his eyes off the water as he walked "And then I grew up."

**Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Frank POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Outside Half-Blood Swag**

**14** days, **9** hours, **34** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Hi, I'm Frank, and I'm fat. That's how I'd been forced to introduce myself once my mom died and I got adopted. The family that had taken me in made me emphasize that last part. My new home was full of anemic twigs- weighing more than an ounce was a scandalous offense worthy of punishment or worse.

Before social services had finally come out and rescued me, the 'family' had gone days without feeding me a single bite and had sent me out to do exercise and hard labor. I'd been ten years old and was only a few pounds overweight back then.

They'd really done a number on me though, and even as I went from home to home, I've always had trouble with eating. Only, it's not the way you'd think. It wasn't really eating I had the problem with, it was more the fact that I didn't do it at all.

At least I used too. That had all changed a few months ago after the town went cuckoo. It all started with new people, strange people, coming into town. And then they stopped coming and everybody stopped leaving. It was like we had fallen off the map, completely closed off from the rest of the world.

Those strange people opened up new stores, and people started drilling offshore and pushing pipes under the city. And then the mayor and the police had largely vanished, abandoning their jobs shortly after construction started on Half-Blood Swag.

It was around that time that Othrys Junkyard suddenly became off-limits too, even though its trucks were coming out and into town more and more often.

That's when people started acting weird. For starters, Nico di Angelo, Haze's cousin. He's always been a bit of an oddball, but he had a traumatic past.

But then another kid, some girl named Drew started acting weird as well. Then Piper had caught the strangeness, along with my other best friends, Leo and Jason. Something had just changed in them. Normally great friends turned into enemies, attitudes changed, and relationships faded into nothingness.

I started getting nervous when a new counselor showed up at my current home, trying to work with me on my eating habits. I'd been shocked when they actually got me to eat, even just in small amounts. For years, I had starved and forced myself to throw up what I did eat, trying to look like good enough for Hazel.

She couldn't ever love obese trash like me, not in a million years. But maybe if I looked better, if I exercised and tried. All those plans went out the window when the counselor arrived. They awoke that old, gnawing hunger I'd suppressed the past few years, they got me to give into the temptation, to stop caring about all that.

But then I couldn't stop eating. I'd had to get more and more. I'd stripped my kitchen of every last crumb and drop I could get my hands on, but I was still hungry, I needed more.

Years and years of having this starving void made me eager to fill it, to finally not feel the hunger, the need. Was that really such a bad thing to want? I mean, I was making progress. I was back on the road to being healthy.

But I hadn't stopped there. I couldn't stop.

Nothing was enough, I had to have more. The hunger never lessened, now it only grew stronger and needier. I thought I'd die for a while, I couldn't get enough. But then the club had opened and I'd found the all-you-can-eat-buffet.

They hadn't been lying. For the past three months, I've never run out of food, I've always had more and all I could handle. The warning bells never went off in my head, the danger of what I was becoming never really occurring to me until today.

Well, more like right now, when I'm looking in a mirror, a beached whale of a boy flopped uselessly on the ground while skeleton warriors attack the girl of his dreams and her best friend. That sentence alone raised an army of red flags, but it was more the fact that I believed it all and realized that I couldn't do a single thing at all. That's what really got me.

How long had I been like this? The last clear thought I can actually remember is when I first walked into Half-Blood Swag. And now I'm here.

Hell's bells, what had happened to me, what was going on now? The skeletons had attacked, Hazel had somehow lobbed a manhole into one of them and made purple fog appear, Piper had confused them with hypnotically persuasive orders, and then there were those new guys who had rushed out, wielding swords, only to get enveloped in the fog. Then we'd all been hit by a tidal wave, the boys had fallen into the sewer, and well, here we were now.

And it's not looking too good. The whole fog trick wore Hazel out, and she' barely blocking the skeleton's attacks. And as for Piper, she obviously isn't as experiences as Haze is. She can barely hold that weird dagger of hers right, let alone use it.

Which of course raised its own questions, questions like where did she get it? How did Haze learn to use a sword? How did they get magic or whatever that stuff was? Why was a squad of the undead trying to kill them? And oh yeah, what in the world was going on?!

None of this made any sense whatsoever. Well except for the skeletons. They actually reminded me a lot of the skeleton warriors from my Mythomagic deck. Huh, maybe this was all like that, maybe my game had somehow become reality! Hadn't there been a book about something like that?

The thought was exhilaratingly terrifying, and something in the back of my head ordered me to get up and jump into the fray, to take back command of the situation. _But I can't!_ I thought _I'm not a hero, I'm not one of the warriors from the game!_

That part of my head was outraged at that, the instinct growing stronger. My limbs started moving on their own, and the next thing I knew I was standing, albeit wobbling dangerously.

Piper went down on one knee, trying to block a skeletal blow as others started moving in and Hazel went down, looking completely drained. I had to help, I had to move! I took a few slow, teetering steps, not used to balancing this much mass- I practically had to learn a whole new law of gravity just to keep from falling over.

Had this really happened to me? The skeleton attacking Hazel was getting close, raising a hatchet above its skull, ready to deliver the death blow. Not going to happen, not on my watch!

I put myself in motion, already struggling to take deep breaths as I charged forward. I got there just in time as it started to swing. I forced myself in-between the coming blow and Hazel, shuddering to a stop. Another second and that hatchet would be buried in my head, I was moving to block it-

But I was never going to move fast enough. The blade was already coming down, and I'd already exhausted myself getting here in the first place. I had enough time to raise my arm, flabby muscle trying to stop the blow as it came down, and then everything went black.

Oh. This was death then. I'd died.

No, no, that meant they could hurt Hazel and Piper now! They needed my help! I couldn't accept this, I had to keep fighting, and I had to do something!

**That's the spirit. Maybe under all that useless gut is some potential to be my son after all.**

I frowned, turning around to find the voice, but everything was still pitch black; I couldn't even see my own hand in front of my face.

"Who's there?"

And where was here? I tried to ready myself, surprised when I realized my body was no longer aching or wheezing, everything was numb and normal. Go figure, maybe I had died after all.

**Who's there** _**sir?** _ **Have some respect for your father maggot. That's an order.**

"Yes, sir," I said, instinctively correcting my stance and saluting.

With a military mom, I had learned to follow the chain of command and the proper military structure and how to react. Even if the chain of command had just dropped a bomb on me and said that it was my father. Someday right?

**That's more like it. Your progress has been, shall we say, crap. I've seen beached whales in better shape than you, look at yourself!**

I flinched as a spotlight flared to life in front of my eyes. I blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness, only to find a mirror waiting for me. Hells bells. The reflection I'd seen back when I was flat on my back was nowhere near as horrifying as what I saw now.

I looked like I was smuggling a life preserver and a couple of frozen turkeys under my bulging, awkward shirt, and my neck had so many folds and chins I didn't even know where to start. I was like the living blob.

**You've got no discipline, no control. You are a disgrace to your ancestors. To think, your mother was out there fighting to the death to keep you safe, and what were you doing? Chowing down on the cookie dough, weren't you piggy?**

I clenched my fists at that, scowling and searching for the source of the voice.

"It wasn't like that sir, I have a prob-"

**You have nothing. Look at you, you don't even deserve this chat. All that time people spent on you, and you're doing nothing but wasting it.**

"That's not how it is! Sir, listen you don't-"

**And it all led up to a glorious end, didn't it? Swelling up like a balloon, glomping around like a pig, and then waddling over to protect your** _**wittle crush** _ **. So heroic.**

"Shut up!" I finally snapped, anger bursting out.

**Excuse me?** The voice demanded, rage ripping through the darkness.

But I didn't' care, I was too worked up and I pushed on. "You heard me! Yeah, I let myself go, and I am not proud of it. Don't you think I haven't always hated how I look? Before this I worked hard to be like everybody else, to make them proud, and to finally make mom's sacrifice worth it. But I failed up until today, I've screwed things up every time I tried. Today though, I fixed it all."

**You just had a skeleton stick a hatchet in your skull.** The voice countered, clearly unimpressed.

"No. I bought Hazel and Piper time. Now Piper can get Haze out of there and they can get to safety."

**What you're saying is that you know you failed your life and let everyone down, but you think you at least redeemed yourself by that stupid sacrifice thing?**

I nodded and stood tall and defiant. It didn't matter what the voice said. I had slowed the monsters down, and because of that maybe my friends would be safe.

The voice gave a grunt before finally continuing. **Good, because that's why I'm here.**

"You did?" I couldn't hide the surprise in my voice.

**Yup. Been watching you for a while now flabby, watching as you waste all that potential you got going for you. Nearly gave up on you, but then you pulled that stunt and I thought 'what the hell, why not give what's his name a second chance'? So that's what you're going to get.**

Heat suddenly rushed through me and I sucked in a deep breath as fire, rage, and war rushed through my veins.

**Last chance maggot, you fail this time then I won't be coming back to save your miserable behind.**

My body felt all wrong now. My muscles were moving and stretching, and my bones were shifting and popping. A sucking sensation ripped through me and I doubled over, dropping to my knees.

**I admit I admire a little gumption in a soldier. If you want to be strong you have to be willing to lead and to fight, you have to have some spirit. This ought to help with that by the way.**

Now my head was bombarded with information, complex battle formations and fighting styles flooding into my head.

**But while you've got some gumption in you, take a little advice from your old man. If you ever stand up and argue or defy me again, me, Mars, the god of war, you won't live to regret it. Now get going and give 'em hell.**

And the just as fast as it had appeared, the darkness rippled and vanished. Everything was back. The skeleton was just starting to swing, it was like whatever had just happened had never occurred in the first place. But it had.

Strength flooded through me and I snapped into action, raising my shield to block the blow. Wait a moment! As the hatchet glanced harmlessly off my sparkling shield I took a moment to do self-inventory.

I had changed.

The flab and fat had been replaced by tight, hard muscle, and I felt taller, stronger, and faster. I could see myself reflected in the back of my shield, looking like a whole new Frank. I was just like the hero I'd always imagined myself to be.

I was even clad in bright crimson armor- a Scutum shield strapped to my forearm, a gladius in my right hand, and a dagger at my hip. It all felt so right; the weight of the sword, the pinch of the armor, it was all so natural.

Mars, the god of war, my father, had turned me into a hero. I could save them now, this is what he had meant by helping me with my potential. I could even see part of his warning and advice for the next time, engraved on the inside of my shield.

Memento qui sis. Remember who you are. My mother's motto.

This was who I am, I could tell already. No more running, no more eating. It was time to take my problems head on. Starting with these undead pains. My brain pounced at the problem, intensive training I'd never received rushing through me as I slammed my shield into the warrior, cracking its bones and sending it stumbling back.

I took a charged step, keeping my arm straight as I lunged forward, gladius going all the way through the skull and out the other side. I gave it a vicious tug, ripping the skull of its remains and smashing it to dust against my shield.

The body stood standing for a few more seconds before collapsing, bones falling apart before it ever hit the ground. I glanced back, seeing Hazel and Piper behind me, staring up in awe. Shucks, I was taller now.

"Watch each other's backs and stay together, got it?"

They nodded and jumped to it, Piper helping to support Hazel as they stood up, weapons at the ready.

I turned back to the enemy, eyes scanning the crowd. There were only seven left, all with no armor and simple weapons. Hazel and Piper had taken out at least ten before now, and I think the boys had taken a few down with them.

Let's see, the skeleton had crumbled when I smashed its skull, so there was an instant weakness. Time to get this party going.

"Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough!" I challenged, banging my sword against my shield.

The skeletons hesitated a moment longer before rushing us as one. It was strange, I could see all the weaknesses as they jolted and jangled towards me. I knew how they were weak to side attacks, how their formation left them vulnerable from a strike from the rear. I knew it all.

And now I used it. I charged in, sword slicing through bone and slashing with metal, my shield pulverizing bone to dust with each impact. They didn't' have a chance now, I was a living weapon.

I was a hero, and it was time to fight.

With a final cry, I knocked the last skeleton to the ground, leaping through the air and landing on its head, my foot smashing through its skull with a loud crack. And then it was over.

I felt alive and energized as I turned back to my friends, finding them slack jawed and wide eyed.

"That was… wow." Piper looked me up and down still looking shocked "How did you?"

"My dad. He reminded me who I was, who I wanted to be. Are you guys okay?"

They nodded mutely, Hazel never taking her eyes off of me.

"We need to get to your friends, do you guys have any ideas?"

Piper was opening her mouth to respond when they both went quiet again, staring down at my chest.

I frowned and followed their gaze to see an orange chain of light bursting from my gut and vanishing down through the street below.

"What the?"

I jumped back, the chain following the movement.

"Frank, I know you don't understand everything that's going on," Hazel finally spoke up, rushing forward "But we don't have time. That thing is why you were eating, and as long as it's in you, you'll still be Gluttony. You have to want to change to get rid of it, you need a reason to change and to keep changing!"

I didn't understand what she meant about Gluttony, but I got the gist of it. Was this thing responsible for ruining my life? What's the hold up then, let's get this darned thing out of me! Haze had said she would explain everything, and that was good because I had too many questions to ask.

But now it was time to finally set myself free. I laid my sword and shield down, scrutinizing the chain. I had to want to change. I already had changed, and I'd wanted to change. I could beat this thing, I would make this all right.

I grasped experimentally at it, wrapping my hands around it and trying to find a good hold. It was time to change, time to be a hero.

I gave a tug, the chain rattling around and something inside me crying out in shock. Hunger blistered through me, that aching desire gnawing at me once more. I was hungry, I always would be. The chain flickered and Piper and Hazel gave me a worried look.

"You can do it, Frank!" Piper cheered me on.

Hazel reached up on tiptoes and put her hand on my shoulder, staring up into my eyes.

"I believe in you."

She believed in me. I could be a hero. This previously obese kid could be the hero of his story, I could change things. And besides, change isn't about physical, it's about what's inside. What's outside just helps a lot.

And now I had a reason to change-Hazel. I let out an anguished howl as I ripped the chain out, the light becoming unbearably bright as I held it triumphantly overhead, pain coursing through me, sweat on my brow from the exertion.

There was an earsplitting, gurgled roar from beneath us, and just like that, the chain vanished, shattering into a million rapidly fading sparks.

Piper cheered and Hazel beamed up at me.

"Wow, that feels so much better." I panted.

And it did. The hunger was still there. It always would be. But it didn't matter now, it didn't feel so empty.

"What now?" Piper looked from Hazel to me, seeking direction.

Hazel spoke up first.

"We need to go find Percy and Luke and tell them that Frank broke his bond. I don't like how long they've been down there, knowing them they should have…"

The rest of Hazel's words seemed garbled and my world was starting to rapidly spin. My muscles were still burning from their sudden transformation, and breaking that chain had drained me of all the newfound strength I had.

"Frank?" Hazel's voice sounded far off but close at the same time.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm just… Uh… I'm just going to give the ground a hug."

And then I was falling, unconscious before Hazel and Piper managed to catch me.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed the Frank POV! Please remember to review, it lets me know you all enjoy (not to mention it just feels awesome to know you guys actually read this little thing). Have a great night/day/morning!**


	16. Gula vs Tempermentia

 

 

 

**Gula vs Temperantia**

Luke POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, Underground Catacombs, Sublevel 4**

**14**  days,  **9** hours, **5**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

I'm not a big fan of water. Never have been, never will be. It might have something to do with the fact that I've had nightmares about Poseidon drowning me ever since I screwed over his one and only son. But then again it could just be I don't like getting wet. Who knows?

Regardless, walking down the middle of a raging torrent of seawater heading down to a subterranean lake was not my idea of a good time. These catacombs and their tunnels were extensive, linking up sewage pipes, stairwells, and drops, all leading to a seemingly endless abyss.

The stench of rotting meat and fish were growing stronger, proof that we were getting closer, but at the cost of our light. Apparently, the newer modifications only extended through the first three levels, before the lights abruptly stopped, daring to go no deeper.

The only reason we were able to see anything at this point was because I'd managed to jury rig one of the bulbs into a makeshift flashlight. Its glow was dim and flickering, barely able to penetrate the darkness above or the stone steps we were descending.

I didn't mind too much though, it kept me from thinking too much about the fact that I was walking around in a bubble. Oh, did I forget to mention that part? As we'd gone deeper, our slim path had slowly gotten thinner and thinner, before finally disappearing altogether into the water.

Percy had pulled out his water tricks, the river parting around him as he led the way down into it, the current bubbling as he held out his arms. I could still reach out and touch it as we kept descending, the water swirling and sloshing angrily around us just an arm's length away.

I wasn't crazy about all this, a voice in the back of my head told me to get the fuck out of there. Two-way Moirai trials only ended when there was one champion. At the end of this, only one of us could be standing. But it didn't have to be at the end.

Plenty of trials had the Fallen killing off their partners and still succeeding. This was Percy's element if he decided it was time to get rid of me here and now, there was nothing I could do.

"You look a little green," Percy remarked as he glanced back.

"It's just the light." And the fact that I'm trapped down here with someone who both has the means and a hell of a lot of motive to off me. Gods, I had to get more powers, something to take Percy down, or at least stand half a chance later on.

For now, I'd just have to hope that that innocent rascal wasn't as dead as he claimed he was.

"There's a break up ahead. From there on it's only going to be a straight ride onto Gluttony, so we should probably work out a recon plan."

"Yes," I said hastily.

Percy smirked at my discomfort, the water around us pulling in a few inches closer just to make me squirm before moving on. He veered to the right, the water pulling away to reveal a wall and a broken tunnel looming above us.

"Give me a boost," I ordered, heading for the wall.

A blue blur shot past and Percy scaled the wall in an instant, easily pulling himself up and turning back to smile smugly down at me.

"Copycat," I muttered, launching myself up and heaving myself beside him.

Percy was opening his mouth, some stupid, sarcastic remark undoubtedly on his tongue when a gargled roar erupted from the darkness, the whole structure shaking from its force. Percy and I exchanged curious glances.

"You don't think…" Percy started, glancing up at the dark ceiling above.

"They couldn't have." I shook my head.

Or was it? I'd been around monsters long enough to know how they sounded. Different emotions meant different levels and ranges, and that one, in particular, had been a pained tone. Monumental, horrible, agonizing pain by the sound of it. Pain that could come from, say, breaking a bond?

"If they did though, then this wouldn't have to be a recon, we could just finish it."

I nodded, stealing a glance at the river. Maybe I was right, there were no coincidences in our lives. Still, though, I wasn't willing to put my neck on the block for some hunch that they might have broken Frank's bond.

I wasn't about to go take on an empowered monster when it couldn't die, that was definitely not going to be in the game plan.

"I'm not going to try unless we're certain. We can't risk this."

Percy's shoulders slumped and he crossed his arms impatiently. "Well, what do you suggest? We don't know if they know we're here if we go back all the way to the surface to find out we could come back to find major fortifications and guards."

"I know!" I snapped, trying to think.

I had a hunch that the bond was broken, that we could kill the monster for good. But I also had had a hunch that Percy was going to drown me back there. I didn't like this situation, not one little bit. I'd been all for doing recon down here and scoping things out, maybe annoying the big bad, but risking a strike wasn't in the cards.

My thief instincts already hated me for how things had ended with the Empousa and Midas. The best battles were fought when we had the upper hand when we had the numbers and the power. From now on we'd do things my way when we hunted these suckers down, no more running in blind with guns blazing.

But plans for the future didn't really help with Gluttony right now. But maybe…

"You got a drachma?" I asked, fishing around in my pockets.

Percy patted himself down and shook his head. Damn.

"So much for an Iris Message," I muttered, clenching my fist in irritation.

That meant it was all up to us. Did we risk it and head back to the surface, or go out with a bang and take it with us? Percy pulled something pale out of his pocket, his thumb tracing invisible patterns on the objects flat surface.

"Well I don't know about an IM, but…"

I took a closer look as Percy held up the piece in question. It was one of the sand dollars he'd taken back after he was let out of his cell.

"Cool. But how is a little shell going to help us take on a monster that is literally Glutton incarnate?"

"It's not." Percy smiled, leaning down to the water's edge. He closed his eyes and I saw his lips moving silently.

I caught the name Poseidon on his lips before Percy dropped the sand dollar into the river, the pale white color instantly vanishing in the dark tide. I held my breath, watching and waiting. Was that some kind of sacrifice or prayer to good ol' daddy? Cause if that was the case, I probably should get the hell out of here, I'm too hot to get turned into a sea cucumber.

But nothing happened.

"Huh, you were right. It _definitely_ isn't going to help us fight Gluttony. Or is Flipper going to pop up with his magical dolphin friends and help us all swim into the sunset and live happily ever after?"

Percy shot me a deadpan glare, holding his hand out over the water.

"Frank Zhang, Hazel Levesque, Piper McLean." He called, waving his palm over the surface.

For a few seconds longer nothing happened. But then the water under his hands turned flat and motionless, unmoving with the current. Sunlight suddenly speared out and I found myself staring up at the edge of a curb, the blue sky high above, the sun shining brightly.

"Perfect." Percy grinned, moving around to get a better view of the picture.

"What is that?" I asked, genuinely curious as I leaned in for a closer view.

It wasn't like any Iris Message I'd ever seen before. The colors were all too vivid, the picture to clear, and at the same time, so hazy and murky.

"It's a gift from dad. Now hush up and help me find them."

I turned back to the picture, frowning at the angle.

"Well, couldn't daddy dearest help us actually see something? All we've got is a good gander at a hell of a lot of nothing."

Percy let out a huff and crossed his arms again, "It's a puddle, what angle were you expecting exactly?"

I face palmed. "Oh Percy, we need to start sizing up your straitjackets, don't we?"

"Shut up, will you?"

"Make me," I smirked.

Percy stood up, glaring right into my eyes, standing defiantly, pen clenched in his fist. I glared right back, hand going to my own recently recovered blade. This was it, huh, this was what it was going to take to light the fuse and get this showdown started? The environment wasn't in my favor here, but in this small space, it might not be in his either. Let's do this.

"Percy? Luke? Is that you?"

We blinked fast, eyes darting down at the picture in the water. Piper was leaning down, staring wide-eyed up at us.

"Ha! I told you it would work!" Percy exclaimed in triumph, whirling around and beaming dumbly down as Hazel appeared beside Piper, an unconscious boy in her arms.

I barely noticed, watching Percy intently. The kid had done a whole 180, going from emotionless robot ready to throw down and finish this at a minor challenge, to a grinning, joking idiot. Percy was still explaining what had happened to us, exchanging stories with Hazel when my eyes wandered back to the muscled jock slumped on Hazel's shoulder.

"Holy crap, is that Zhang?"

It couldn't be, lardo was the size of a Volkswagen, this kid was ripped liked no man's joke, practically bulging with muscle and strapped in blood red armor. Yet it was still that same face, albeit a tad more angular and masculine.

"Language." Percy scolded, seemingly scandalized as he elbowed me in the kidneys.

I grunted while Hazel turned back and grinned at the unconscious Frank.

"Yep. You should have seen him Perce, he was the bee's knees! I can't get over it!"

"How did he change?" Percy asked, burning with curiosity as he gave the kid a once over.

"It was his dad. He gave him a pep talk and threw him on the fast track to being the hero he is! Isn't that amazing? I told you the gods cared Luke." Hazel shot me a smug, happy look.

I rolled my eyes and ignored it saying "Whatever. Listen, I hate to skip the formalities and the pretending that I actually care, but did he break the bond or not?"

Piper rolled her eyes while Percy and Hazel burned glares through my soul.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, he did." She replied curtly.

"That's all we needed to know. Get back to the house and stay safe, don't do anything this idiot would."

I jerked a thumb at Percy and turned away, anxiously tapping the hilt of my sword. I didn't like those glares. I could handle Percy hating me; he deserved to go after me what with all I'd done to him. But why did I care about the rest of them? Just a few days ago I'd gotten smiles and jokes. Hell, Piper had even made a couple passes at me today, I was in good with them.

But now something had changed. They were looking at me like I was the bad guy here. Sure, I played bad cop in this partnership, but if I didn't the whole mission would fail. So why did they have to start turning on me now?

Percy muttered a quick apology, offering some advice and saying his goodbyes. Then with a wave of his hand, the image gurgled and popped, the colors washing away downstream. I sank down against the nearby wall, relishing the temporary respite.

Being a demigod sucked sometimes. Everything was always so lame; do this, don't get killed, set that thing on fire, go look out for that carnivorous platypus. The worst part though was that there really wasn't any way to retire from this _glorious_ life.

My whole plan to do so had fallen through, and it had been practically fool proof. Well, mostly anyways. I'd stolen the bolt, turned the limelight on Percy, and let nature take its course. Everyone instantly assumed he was the thief and had gone after him while I'd slipped away scot-free.

Selling the Master Bolt was the harder part though. Everybody knew where I'd gotten it, and the key to the sale had been my anonymity and a boatload of cash. Sadly, the only idiots willing to buy didn't have a tenth as much of the cash I wanted, and so I'd had to stick around longer than anticipated.

I'd finally found a buyer though, a guy who seemed totally legit. Everything started falling into place. I bought my plane ticket to my new island retreat, packed my bags, and then scouted out the area to check for scams and then setup for my client.

Only, things had gone into left field when it turned out that my client was actually my dad. And we all knew how well that conversation had ended. I winced unintentionally, pain arcing up from my underarm, a memory I didn't want to remember starting to come into focus.

I could remember it all so clearly, could see it all; the full moon above, the empty warehouse, the cold wind, the feel of the bolt weighing down my traveler's pack as I waited. I remembered dad approaching, taking off his hood, pleading with me to just give him the bolt and trust that things could be made alright.

I'd said no. What other choice did I have? After everything I'd gone through to get it, I couldn't just give it all up and move on with my life. My life had already fallen apart when I threw it to the dogs, there wasn't anything to go back to.

I'd walked away.

Tip for the foolish, never turn your back on gods. I'd only made it three steps, three defiant feet away from the bastard who ruined my life, when he grabbed me. I didn't have time to react, all I could do was shut down as he shanked me, the blade going in under my arm and going straight to my heart.

Death in seconds. The last thing I saw as it all faded and went black as my dad crying. I let out an unintentional whine, clenching my eyes shut as more pain snaked its way through me, my heart beating a wild bongo beat in my chest.

"Luke?"

I pried my eyes open enough to see Percy hovering over me looking concerned.

"I'm fine. Just my First Death."

Understanding came across Percy's face, and he rubbed his own chest. The joys of being a Fallen, so complicated to understand and to live with, but so easy to make and destroy.

"Luke, we need to talk," Percy said, sitting cross-legged in front of me.

Oh joy, four of my favorite words. We need to talk was the silent death of everything good in life.

"You had me up until that last part. How about we change that to Luke we need to fu-"

I let out an oomph as Percy kicked out the side of my legs, sending me sprawling to the ground.

"Not in your wildest dreams." Percy grinned smugly.

"Who needs dreams, I can still remember all the good stuff." I shot back.

Percy cringed, smile quickly fading. Huh, a way to shut him up. I got to remember that one.

"This isn't working" Percy began, taking a deep breath "We need to work together, and you being a douche doesn't make it any easier."

I raised an eyebrow and glanced around. We'd just dealt a critical blow to Kronos' forces and were about to take out another sin. Perhaps I was reading too much into this, but I really didn't see that as a fail.

"You were right up there, we're both here for a reason. You've got charisma and you know people, you keep me on target and keep things from getting messy. I'm here because I'm the human element. I know people too, but I know the bad stuff. I'm the one who has to save as many people as I can. Right now, though we've got a bunch of demigods who are still struggling with their sins, a titan who's playing games with our heads, and then there's us, jumping at the chances to kill each other."

Valid points one and all I guess.

We can't let anything happen. If they relapse we lose. If Kronos stops pulling his punches, we lose. And if we kill each other-"

"We lose, yeah. What's your point?"

Percy took a deep breath, his eyes meeting mine carefully. Something was ticking around in that strange head of his, now it was just a wait to see if it could ever actually escape that tangled mess he called a brain.

"If we're going to do this we have to trust each other. Because I don't know about you, but I trust Kronos about as much as I trust you right now."

"Which is more than I'd guess seeing as how you went to his side. Care to explain?"

Percy and I stared off, sea green clashing with steel blue. Tick tock Percy, your move.

"Alright let's get this over with. You've got beef with me and I hate you, so. Let's make a deal. I tell you something, you tell me something. That work for you?"

Hmm… We did hate each other. Well, I didn't hate him anymore. In fact, it was actually the horrifying opposite of hate that I kept feeling. I was so screwed, and definitely not in a fun way.

"How about questions instead. There are somethings I need to know _partner."_

Percy hesitated for a long while before nodding. "Fine. But if we don't want to answer, we can skip."

Eh, I could deal with that. At least I could get my answers and make things run a tad bit smoother now, so why not?

"Three each, then we go take on beastie."

Percy shrugged, waiting for me to start. Three questions, three chances to figure out what the hell had gone wrong with this kid.

"Do you know that blonde chick, Annie?"

"Skip."

Damn. I knew I shouldn't have agreed to that whole skip thing. Alrighty, let's try a different angle then. Let's see…

"What's the deal with you and Nico?"

"Skip."

I swore under my breath, glaring over at the stone-faced boy.

"Why did you join Kronos then? Let me guess, skip?"

Percy bit his lip, musing over the thought. It took him a while, and when he finally answered, his words were slow and deliberate.

"I joined him because… because I was weak. I didn't have anything left, it was join the cause or die."

He let that sit a while, rocking back and forth while he came up with a question of his own.

"How much were you going to get for the bolt?" He said finally, scrutinizing me intently.

I knew what he was really asking though. How much was he worth to me, what price had been big enough to outweigh him? I felt a skip on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it and took a breath.

"Thirty-nine billion US currency and a million drachmas. Enough to disappear and never be found again."

Percy nodded silently, his face an emotionless façade. I miss him being so easy to read. Maybe I should have skipped that one after all. Too late for that now though.

I took my time, mulling over all the possibilities, finally settling on "What's with the headphones all the time?"

"Skip." We said in unison.

Percy shot me a wry smile while I deadpanned, thinking again. This game wasn't as easy as I'd hoped.

"Fine, then how did you get caught? I didn't picture your dear old daddy to be the type to off his own kids."

Percy stayed quiet again, but this time it wasn't because he was trying to answer. He had a distant look, and Riptide was spinning listlessly around his fingers. Must be a juicy story that one.

"I asked him to take me."

His words stunned me to my core. I felt my jaw drop, staring dumbfounded at the black-haired boy sitting so casually across from me.

"You asked him to do it? Nobody asks to be turned into a Fallen; that's not how this works! What did you-"

"Do you still hate orange juice?" Percy interrupted.

I blinked a few times, objections dying in my mouth.

"What?" I asked, struggling to regain my wits.

"Orange juice. You used to hate it. Are you still not a fan or did you get over it?"

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" I waved my arms in exasperation.

There was just no winning with him, everything had to be ridiculous, didn't it? Orange juice, I can't even- seriously?

"We're trying to be better partners. I'm trying to remember how this used to work. Either hurry up and answer the question or skip it and let's move on with our lives."

"It's nasty stuff," I remarked as I started running in place.

Percy nodded a few times, then rolled onto his stomach and started to plank. We were quiet for a while, stretching and warming up, trying to get blood pumping.

"Your turn again," Percy commented absently, flying through a fast-paced combat routine, spinning and landing a few punches in where he could.

I tapped my blade against the side of my leg a few times, thinking hard before settling for "Do you still hate me?"

Percy faltered mid-step, blade slipping up until he corrected his course, turning it into a side slash and dealing a fatal blow to his imaginary enemy. The question had been eating at me for days now, and the sexual tension I felt between us was starting to get unbearable. I needed to know.

"I never stopped." He admitted as he came to a stop "The one person who was supposed to have my back and keep me safe ended up ruining my life and sent me running right into Kronos' waiting arms."

Oh. Well, that was just fantastic. At least I had an answer, even if it meant he'd probably still end up stabbing me in the back the first chance he got. Such comforting thoughts these little chats of ours brought.

"I did forgive you though. I'm still angry. I still don't understand, and I'm still paying the price for what you did- and what I did. But I'm over it."

Okay, I guess that was a little better. Damn it, I should have asked more about what happened to him after I pinned the crime on his innocent little head. I almost wish he'd just kept it at the whole 'I still hate you' thing. Then at least I wouldn't feel like such a tool because he'd actually let it go.

"Hey, you still got one question left," I called as he sheathed Riptide and made his way down to the water.

Percy leaped down, the bubble reforming around him as he hit the ground, looking up expectantly. "I figured out all I need to know."

Screw you, Jackson, you can't play that card.

"You coming or not?" He smirked, putting his hands on his hips.

I rolled my eyes and hopped down, sticking the landing with ease.

"Let's do this."

**Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Percy hadn't been spot on about when he said the hole in the wall was our last safe haven. It turns out that it was just one of many, right on the edge of no man's land- well, no man's sewer more like it.

He couldn't' sense things once we passed some invisible barrier, a different power pulsing through the sea, wresting control from him. Percy was not at all thrilled.

"I don't like this. I can't feel anything. Whatever's down there, it's pumping out some bad mojo."

I raised an eyebrow. "Bad mojo? Seriously?"

Percy deadpanned and frowned, struggling to maintain the bubble. "Something's wrong. What do you want me to say? Are you going to tell me whose butt we're going to kick and how they're fighting me?"

I stuck my tongue out at him and shook my head as I marched on.

We went around a bend and I frowned myself, seeing something strange up ahead. I grimaced, trying to focus on it, but the light from my makeshift flashlight wasn't helping. I flicked it off and glanced ahead, raising my eyebrows when I realized I was seeing light.

More than that, things were different in the water now. The sound of crashing and roaring liquid had reached and earsplitting cacophony, and the current had slowed, pulling and pushing in too many directions to count.

"What do you think-" I started, only to jump back as the water in front of me suddenly gave away, the front end of the bubble collapsing in on itself.

"What was that?" I demanded, glaring down at my wet shoes and pants.

Percy grunted, extending a hand and pushing the air in front of the collapsed portion. It trembled and frothed, the wall of liquid starting to solidify and reform only to end up collapsing.

"They're older than me," Percy explained, giving the water a wary look.

"And?"

Percy pointed towards the light hidden in the water surrounding us, towards what I was almost sure was an arch or opening.

"I'm a direct kid of Poseidon, so when it comes to the ocean I've got some major pull. Gluttony though, they're tied to something old. The water only listens to them from here."

That could be a problem, especially if I was right about who it was.

"Can you at least get us through?"

Percy gave the light another wary, cautious glare. He judged the distance, fingers twitching and biting his lip.

"I can _try_. There's a buildup right there, and then it all goes downhill from there, but I think there's a ledge."

A ledge? That wasn't exactly what I'd been hoping for. I had been picturing something a little more solid, somewhere to get fighting ground, a place to find the advantage. Time for a little plan B I guess.

"Well do you think we can-"

Percy tackled me sending the two of us crashing into the icy current. We were instantly wrenched back and forth, twisting as we shot towards the light. I struggled to keep my eyes open as the salt rushed past, watching as the light started getting brighter.

I could hear the sound of a waterfall even under the water, feeling the drum of the water and the current trying to drag me down. We came to the surface as gravity started pulling us down, and I had a second to see a good hundred foot drop before there was a violent tug and we were yanked out of the water. We soared out of the water, flying free, only to slam into a wall. Again. I swear I was starting to lose count of all this.

We fell to the ground, hitting the ledge hard, sopping wet (at least I was. Even if Percy didn't have control over this water he was still dry as a bone), and gasping for breath (again, only me. I swear sometimes, life just hates me).

"Sweet, it worked!" Percy cheered triumphantly, forcing himself up and offering me my sword.

"Next time you're going to do something stupid that could kill me: don't." I snapped, pulling my wet hair out of my eyes and snatching my sword away.

I cursed under my breath as I turned on my heel, in the middle of swearing when I stopped, jaw going slack as I saw the room we'd just entered.

Well, you couldn't really call it a room. It was as though someone had stuck a giant bucket half the size of a football field in the earth and then pasted over the top of it with bridges of the catacombs and the underside of the town. Weakened pale light seemed to find its way in, but the omnidirectional light was only so good.

The cavern stretched down a good hundred or so feet, the bottom a frothy lake of seawater. The walls were all the smooth frame of the catacombs, and I could see similar openings like the one we had just exited pumping a constant supply of water in. Hundreds of gallons just kept coming, more of it pouring in every passing second.

The edges of this pit were lined with outer decks and supports, with a single, poorly constructed wooden bridge stacked across the gaping abyss about ten feet below us. It led to a large, ruined tunnel that had once been another catacomb undoubtedly, but had been caved in and carved out, horrible scratches covering the outside. A thin trail of smoke crept out the top of it, billowing and finally vanishing high above.

"Big bad's in there?" Percy asked, scanning the smoky cave.

Not if it was who I thought it was. I guess I was wrong. I mean I could have sworn it would be her, that roar had been so close.

"Alright, let's go!"

"Percy!" I griped, rushing after him as he threw himself from the edge, sliding down a tilted pillar and hopping off onto the makeshift bridge. I leapt after him, trying to keep my grip on the slimy surface of the pillar, sprinting after Percy once I landed.

"No rushing into this dude! I do not want to die today! Death's had way too many Near-Luke-Experiences, I seriously do not need you messing that up."

Percy gave a huff, starting to turn on me before something bleated on the other side of the bridge. We froze, slowly coming about to see a very large, very dirty sheep.

It watched us with its beady black eyes, pawing the ground a few times before bleating again, its call barely audible over the crash of the water around us. Funny, now that I listened, the crashes almost had a pattern, the water calming for a few seconds, then coming back to life, almost like snoring.

"Gluttony is a sheep?" Percy didn't' seem to know whether to laugh or not, doing his best to stifle a smile.

I crossed my arms, giving him a dubious look.

"Do you really think Gluttony is a sheep?"

Percy sulked, giving me a shove and turned his back on me. Not that I minded, gave me a great view of his ass.

"Sorry for trying to add a little fun to your life. I promise I'll never try again, happy?"

Ugh, why did he have to be such a pain sometimes? Okay sure, Gluttony being a sheep was kind of a funny thought. I actually smiled at the thought, picturing Kronos storming the gates of Olympus with a bunch of farm animals. If only, right?

"You know the little guy actually reminds me of something." Percy nodded towards the sheep, biting his lip and scratching the back of his head, face screwed up in concentration.

I hope he didn't hurt himself.

"Grover?" I offered, crouching down and stretching out a hand.

I wasn't the best when it came to animals, but who knows, perhaps I could get this mongrel to take us to his master.

"As if. Besides, Grover's horns grew in and they look nothing like that. You'd know that except- oh that's right, you got thrown in jail!" Percy mocked a surprised, bashful face before rolling his eyes and shaking his head "No, it's something else. I was on a mission to Hawaii, and there were these sheep-"

Percy trailed off, staring up into space. I shrugged him off, glancing back to my new fuzzy friend. The sheep was slowly advancing, taking hesitant steps as it got closer and closer. I rubbed my fingers together and clicked my tongue, trying to seem non-threatening.

"Wait a second…" Percy flashed a look at the ceiling, studying the higher up bridges.

Hold up. Those weren't bridges at all. I squinted up at him, making out what I had thought to be walkways and ropes, instead revealing them to be cranes and pulleys, with giant hook-like anchors hanging from great chains, ready to be dropped into the drink below.

"I know this setup! It was all Poly-" Percy gasped, snapping down to me "Luke!"

I frowned and turned back in time to find the sheep charging at me. Only, it didn't look quite as cute and cuddly as it had from a distance. Twisted horns stuck out of its head at odd angles, and its mouth was wide open, revealing a yellow set of jagged fangs.

Carnivorous sheep. Lovely.

I bolted back to my feet, snatching my hand away as it snapped at my fingers, still charging. I stepped to the side as it went past, aiming a kick at its side. The bloody sheep gave an angry bleat, stumbling to the side. It teetered on the edge of the bridge as it ran for a few seconds, hooves scrambling to find purchase as it slipped, giving out a terrified call before topping over the side.

We watched as it fell, spinning madly in the air before finally crashing down into the water with a splash. It emerged after a few seconds, braying and bleating as it swam, the water bubbling and crashing against it.

At least, it did for a few seconds. The water was still now, even the cascades crashing down from above didn't' so much as even make a ripple as the sheep floundered, trying to get to the side. I could make out a few large rocks on the edges, places where the real catacombs and ruins had fallen in, some of them leading to tunnels.

But then suddenly the sheep vanished, above the surface one second, its cries echoing pitifully, and then the next, the water was flat and dark. There was no trace it had ever even existed in the first place.

"Um…" Was the most Percy could muster, staring at the lake.

There was an aggravated groan from behind us, and we spun, swords ready for another sheep. Only it was most definitely not a sheep. Not unless sheep were a good fifteen feet tall, wore loin clothes, and look like a hunched, fat man save for a giant misty eyeball in the center of their forehead.

"Polyphemus," Percy growled, clenching his sword tightly.

The cyclops in question ignored him taking a peek over the edge and making an exasperated motion before heading back to his cave.

I could hear him muttering as he rummaged around, something about "Not even feeding time, now I'm going to be up half the night"

He emerged from his cave a few seconds later in an oversized life preserver and water wings. I braced myself for a fight, not sure what to expect but taking a fighting stance nonetheless. He approached, looming up as he got closer and closer, but the big hulking brute just walked on past, the bridge groaning and straining under his weight.

"Hello? Polly?" Percy waved his sword in the air, trying to get his attention "Last I saw you were half blind not half deaf. Oi! Polly want a cracker? Hello?"

Polyphemus turned back, his lone eyebrow furrowing as he studied the son of Poseidon before giving him a dismissive wave and moving on. He worked his way to the wall, clambering up a great ladder to a higher level.

"Polly wants a nice crunchy, screaming demigod cracker. But Polly is busy thanks to demigods. I got feeding time to attend to."

Percy looked completely lost, blade falling limp in his fist. He turned to me, raising an eyebrow, but I kept my eyes on the cyclops. He had clambered into an oversized control box, the cranes above starting to come to life with the anchor hooks sinking down towards the water's surface.

"What, so Gluttony has to catch his own food? What kind of deal is that? Kronos would never want to keep him starved."

"Don't flatter him dude, he's just the waiter."

My gaze was still locked on the water, watching as it slowly started to move again, the water swirling and spinning as a whirlpool formed.

"Then who?" Percy followed my gaze, understanding dawning upon him as giant triangular rocks- no teeth, started to rise to the surface, the whirlpool growing bigger and faster, the water turning white as it lowered and sped up.

"Charybdis."

The starving maw of teeth and endless stomachs that guarded the only way into the Sea of Monsters, a literal bottomless pit that would devour anything that got close enough. Only now Kronos had plopped it down right under the town and hooked it up to pipes. Pipes that sucked anything and everything in through them- an endless all you can eat buffet for Charybdis.

"Not a waiter. Not even good enough for that apparently," Polyphemus grunted from above, squinting to watch the water as he moved the dials and flipped his switches "Just on junk duty. Anything she can't eat I have to pick up so she doesn't choke."

A nice set up actually. Hide a giant sea monster in the single last possible place you would ever expect to find a giant sea monster, pump all its food in, and have a wall of muscle acting as its guard and making sure it didn't choke.

Food wasn't the only thing that must come through here after all- even as I watched I saw what looked like the front end of a car coming down one of the waterfalls, starting to get caught up in the spin cycle of the pool along with schools of fish.

"She just finished too." Polly complained, the cranes moving in and slowly lifting the rusty car out of the water and into one of the tunnels "I was going to get some sleep, get something to eat. But then you had to go throw poor Floppy down there and get her hungry again."

"Floppy?" I scoffed, Percy and me sharing a quick snort.

"So, we've got a giant garbage disposal and it's beefy but blind as a bat guard. That makes thing so much easier than I thought it was going to be. Well, mostly anyways."

"You have a plan?" I was open for anything I guess.

Then again, his last plan had sent us down a waterfall. If it hadn't worked Floppy would have been laughing at us while Charybdis woke up for a quick snack. Perhaps I should handle this part instead.

"Well, we have most of the advantages. She can't move, we've got a lot of space, and as long as we stay out of the water then we're safe. The only thing they really have going for them is that they've got control of the water here. All we need to do is to send some of this junk down her gullet, throw up a Tartarus symbol, and voila! Instant bye-bye bad guy!"

Not a half bad plan actually. Could do with a few tweaks though.

"How do you want to deal with bright eye over there?"

Percy was opening his mouth to respond when I saw one of the hook anchors swinging straight towards us.

"Incoming!"

I tackled him to the ground, rolling us to the side as the hook swung into the bridge. The wood snapped, tossing us to the side as the hook flipped it, just barely lodging itself in-between the sides of the room. Percy and I clung to the underside, desperately hanging on while Charybdis gave a famished cry beneath us, the whole cave echoing with her hunger.

"Not part of the plan!" Percy yelped, trying to get a better grip and swing himself to the side.

I could hear Polyphemus roaring with laughter above, the sound of more levers and buttons somehow coming down to us.

"Sorry boys, the only ones who are gonna say bye-bye is you! Have a nice trip!

I managed to make it to the edge of the bridge, wincing as the wood creaked beneath my fingertips, glancing around to find an escape route only to see another anchor hurtling towards us.

"Another coming fast!" I cried, throwing myself to the side and grabbing at Percy, yanking him back on top with me.

We made a mad dash, stumbling and slipping as the hook came at the bridge. We launched ourselves off the edge, grabbing at the solid earth as the wood shattered beneath our feet, the hook smashing through the bridge and sending the splintery remains down to Charybdis.

"Ungh, no!" Polyphemus roared angrily.

I cracked a smirk as I saw him working to quickly dislodge the scraps before the whirlpool could swallow them. I could actually see the freak now, a pale, fleshy bulge at the center of the current. Her mouth took up the whole lake, teeth extended and spinning, guzzling the water and its contents at a breakneck pace.

"You'll pay for that," Polyphemus swore, struggling to maneuver the hooks in the right way with his switchboard.

I just flipped him off.

"Okay, new plan." I said, sitting up, eyes scanning the cave, letting my thief sense tell me all I needed to know "You distract the one-eyed wonder and get him out of that box he's in, I'll mess around with the hooks and send this whole place down on her- her head I guess? I don't even know. Now you need to… Percy?"

I blinked, trying to find the missing idiot to no avail. There was an explosion high above, water raining down on me along with the cries of Polyphemus. I whirled around, swearing as I saw the giant flipping through the air, heading straight for me.

I scrambled out of the way as he crashed down right where I had been standing. I spun, eyes snapping through the darkness to see Percy sitting at the control box giving me a thumbs up. In the box's light, I could see glints of blue shimmering in his ears.

He had his damn headphones on again. Which meant I was basically on my own while he went off and played moronic vigilante.

"Son of a taint!" I cursed exasperatedly, grabbing my sword.

Polyphemus was on the move now, recovering from his sudden eviction via Percy while I marched forward.

"Come on you one eyed cretin, I've got places to be and more important people to kill."

Polyphemus had recovered enough to roll away from my first jab when I rushed him, only to let out a bellow as I swung back, slicing into his leg. The cyclops stumbled back, and I kept after him, slashing and stabbing at his exposed skin.

I was still coming at him strong when he swung around with surprising speed, knocking me over the head with his life preserver. I reeled back, another swing of the amazingly dense material making me see stars. Before I could do anything, he shoved it over my head, trapping my arms at my sides.

He ripped off the side, the air rushing out as he turned the remains into bands, wrapping me tightly in the rubbery plastic. I squirmed and wriggled around, swinging my sword wildly at its trapped angel, trying my best to knock his pudgy fingers away whenever he got close enough.

"Have a nice trip!" He jeered as he backhanded me off the edge.

I had a few seconds of panic, trying to tear away from my bonds as I fell straight down to Charybdis' gaping maw. I hit the water hard, plunging down fast, but the current was strong and in a matter of seconds I was caught up in the whirlpool, getting wrenched this way and that.

I gasped and spluttered, trying to keep my head up above the water while I kicked with my legs, treading water. I slammed up against the dull side of one of her teeth, bouncing off to the wrong side and sending myself closer to the mouth itself.

"Percy!" I screamed, choking on waves of sea water as I tried to get his attention.

Gods no! I was not going to drown and turn into fish food! Wrong time for revenge Poseidon, your kid needs me if we want to survive!

I managed to slam against another tooth as it passed, this time latching on its broad side and using my legs to cling on. It wasn't easy. Charybdis' teeth were slick and smooth. Even with all my leg strength, I was still struggling not to slide down under the crashing waves.

"Need a hand?"

I jerked my head up, starting to slip under the white capped water at the same time as I saw Percy, hanging from a hook only a few feet over the water. Thank you, oh gods I knew I was too hot to die! Percy grabbed me as I sunk, yanking me up by the back of my shirt and slicing through the remains of the ruined life preserver as he brought me up with him.

"About time you showed up!" I moaned, grimacing over at him as the chain started to rattle and rise.

Percy gave me a blank look, and I realized I could still hear his stupid headphones blasting, even down here in the splash zone. Well in that case…

"You are a total moron! I honestly can't believe you've made it this far in life, if you were anyone else you would have been ripped apart and had the pieces scattered to the far corners of the earth! And then they would still have more brains than you do! Oh yeah, and I think I'm in love with you!" I screamed.

Percy blinked a few times, tilting his head to the side before plucking out one of his headphones, a crazed beat still blasting from the plug.

"I can't read lips Luke, what are you going on about?"

"Just get us out of here," I ordered, pulling away and starting to scale up the chains.

Percy shrugged, popping his headphone back in and climbing up after me. The hook was still a good twenty feet away when our chain shuddered to a stop. I heard Percy say 'Uh-oh' before our line suddenly started moving again. The crane swung us to the center of the room, leaving the two of us dangling like worms on a hook over Charybdis' waiting jaws.

"No more games, it's time to die!" Polyphemus called, glee lighting up his misty eye as he pulled a lever down.

The chain rattled back to life, and we started descending, Polyphemus laughing manically the whole time.

"Move along!" Percy called up, starting to clamber up behind me.

No kidding. I pushed on, doing my best to keep up with the chain and gain ground even as it kept dragging me down.

"It's going too fast!" I called down, beginning to jerk my weight from left to right "Start swinging!"

Percy caught on fast, throwing himself back and forth as we went, the chain moving further and further, getting us closer to the edge each time. I hear Polyphemus roar again, doing his best to maneuver the cranes away from the edges, only to help us build up momentum.

With a final push, we let go, flying through the air and crash-landing on the ledge. Honestly, by the time I got out of this quest I'm going to be nothing but one big black bruise.

"Here." Percy jumped up and turned to pull me up.

I was still reaching for it when Percy was suddenly no longer there. I frowned, trying to understand what had happened, finding Polyphemus rearing up beside us. Realization hit me and my eyes darted to the nearest wall.

Percy was sprawled against the ground, limp, eyes closed, and blood starting to pool around his head.

"Percy!"

Crap, sucker punched!

I rushed over to him, but Polyphemus backhanded me as well, this time slamming me up against a wall. I didn't have time to enjoy the pain before the freak caught me, his enormous hand closing in on my throat as he pinned me off the floor. I choked and gurgled, all attempts to breath failing, while I tried to aim for the pressure points in his hands. Not that it did a whole lot of good.

There was a crash from above, one of the crane pipes falling close, just barely missing the big brute by a few feet. Screw the gods, I knew they had done that on purpose just to get my hopes up for nothing. Bastards.

"Little brats the lot of you, don't deserve to be part of the plan!" He snarled, saliva spattering across my face as he gave my throat a squeeze.

I forced myself to stay conscious as he constricted my air supply, numbness burning through my veins. I flailed around as he leaned in, Percy still very unconscious and unmoving across the room. Damn it kid, move! Don't stay down, come on!

My vision was starting to go black as Polyphemus squeezed, the sound of something cracking sending blistering agony through me. As the darkness closed in on my pain-wracked mind and my body started shutting down, lights shone in my eyes, beams of the stuff shooting off high above. Were those… Bond?

I would have focused, thought about how I was seeing that and why, but there was the little part of me dying that distracted me. I watched, counting a total of five shimmering incandescent lights in the closing void.

Wait, five? That couldn't be right, there were three down. There should only be four left. Then again, I was on the point of death, so this was all probably just a last second hallucination from lack of oxygen or something.

But then it all changed. A brilliant blast of gold light, a brightness that made me want to crawl into a corner and just crumble to dust erupted out of the darkness, overtaking everything else.

"Heads up!"

My insides twisted and crunched, and I gurgled, the light fading. Except I wasn't in the cyclops grasp. He wasn't even anywhere in sight, and Percy was leaping straight for me, Riptide flying through the air. There was a roar and I whirled around, scrambling back and tripping as I saw Polyphemus rearing up, his backhanded blow missing by a mile while Percy swung.

What the literal hell? How- what the fuck had just happened?

Had I blacked out or something and Percy rescued my ass again? No, that couldn't be right. The scrape on his head was gone. There wasn't even any blood, on him or the floor. Even that stupid crane pipe that had collapsed was- I heard an echoing groan from above, glancing up and my eyes widening as I saw the pipe that had just fallen still attached to the ceiling, just now starting to give way. How…?

No, not the time for that now, time to kill monsters and ask questions later. I charged forward, slashing under Percy's sword and rounding on Polyphemus, slashing at the back of his legs. He roared, turning about and falling back to gain ground.

Big mistake.

Adrenaline and instinct took over and I snapped forward at the second the crane started falling, my palm cracking harmlessly against his bulk. Polly gave a feral how as I struck though, the panic, fear, and agony of the past few days rocketing out of me and into him through the contact.

He fell back, a pained expression contorting his features as a ripple of metal washed over him. It happened in seconds, his skin turning to dull gold, spreading until he was frozen, a grotesque statue still reaching out to escape.

And then the crane collapsed, swinging like a pendulum and kicking him out into the abyss. He plummeted through the air, actually smacking straight through on of Charybdis' teeth as he landed. She gave a roar while the water washed away Polly's gold skin.

He screamed in terror, doing his best to cut through the water even as Charybdis slurped her former henchman in. He was sucked down her gullet, a final scream echoing through the room before a small burst of dust poofed over her maw.

I panted hard, my hand tingling and numb. Projection was a powerful tool for demigods. Powers were linked to emotions, and the stronger the emotion, the greater the power. So much for only being able to access a small part of Midas' curse. I guess I just needed a little adrenaline and panic to get it going.

"Good job."

I spun around, relief coursing through me when I saw Percy, still alive, alright, and most certainly not unconscious.

I still had no clue what had happened, but it wasn't the time to wonder. I shrugged, taking a few deep breaths to steady myself. Percy was hunched up on the ground, covering his left eye and grimacing in pain.

"You okay?"

He nodded dismissively, waving away my concern.

"I'm a demigod, okay isn't in my vocabulary. You want to deal with beastie, I need a breather."

No problem there. After seeing him limp and bloody on the ground, the last thing I wanted was to see him hurt again. Damn, I was never going to be able to kill him now. Shut up Luke, priorities. Worry about killings and déjà vu later. Time to deal with the oversized garbage disposal.

It was easier than I'd expected. All I had to do was grab one of the control boxes and a rock. I could have just made things really simple and tossed the rock in after I put the symbols on, but that was not fun. For a stupid mouth in the ground that couldn't do anything but feast, it had really managed to tick me off.

No, it was going to have a nice long suffer before I sent it off to hell itself. Charybdis screeched as I used the hooks to pry her mouth open, the chains shaking and complaining under the strain. Her screech turned into a roar as I dropped a pillar straight down her throat.

"What's wrong, I thought you were hungry? I jeered, letting the car Polyphemus had chucked away slide in as well.

The whole cave was shaking now, the whirlpool slowing as Charybdis thrashed and hollered as her mouth started to overflow with inedible debris but swallowing the ruins nonetheless.

"Luke."

I jumped, spinning around and grinning over at Percy. I extended a hand to let him take over and join in the fun, more than happy to share a monster's torment. He gave me a disgusted look and shook his head.

"Just end it already."

I sobered up, turning my back on him and muttering "Party Pooper."

It was just a monster, what did it matter anyway? They deserved everything they had coming and more. I guess Charybdis would just have Percy to thank that it was getting off easy.

"Bottoms up!" I shouted, scratching the Tartarus symbol on my rocks gritty surface.

The lines were still lighting up as I stopped, winding up for a pitchers throw and hocking it into the air with all my might. It arced through the air, spinning lazily, the symbols starting to turn sinister and dark. And then it fell, bouncing off the side of the pillar, the hood of the trunk, and finally straight down Charybdis herself.

There was an explosion of anti-noise, some kind of roar that mad nose sound but left me deaf even so and the cavern shook as the portal expanded inside the monster. The crap I had shoved down her throat got sucked in first, then the water around her, her grotesque mass coming into view before it started collapsing in on itself.

More anti-sound echoed through the room, Percy and I having to back up as the portal kept opening, anything not tied down starting to be sucked in. Charybdis' blob-like form was compressed smaller and smaller, the previously giant creature becoming a floating ball of mucus and muscle. And then it collapsed in on itself, the explosion seeming the shake the whole world.

Gods, the whole town was going to fall down here! Red and black lightning erupted out of the shrinking portal, liquid fire oozing and smoke coiling out into the air while the ground shuddered and cracked. A sudden streak of orange light came at me, almost knocking me off my feet, a new power zipping through my veins.

Before I could recover Percy grabbed my arm and tugged us out of the room while the walls started to collapse and the catacombs crumbled.

"Hurry up Luke! Anybody who doesn't want to be a splatter needs to get out now!"

I just nodded numbly. I was too distracted to notice anything, not the hideous powers erupting from the Tartarus portal or the crumbling cavern. I didn't even notice how in the light Percy's left eye looked a little different, spliced with yellow.

Or maybe, gold.

* * *

**Sorry, know it's a bit long and ramblish, I'll work on that. Anyways, I hope you enjoy nonetheless and have a great morning/day/night!**


	17. A Heroes Sin

**A Heroes Sin**

Nico POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, The Alleyway**

 **14**  days,  **6** hours, **29**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

The town was awake. Perseus had killed that hypnotic song bird and now the people were free, exploring their abandoned town in a daze. At least they were until the earthquake started. The ground had cracked and crumbled, buildings trembled, and fissures split the concrete wide open.

Some wake-up call, but when you knew who was responsible, it fit with his MO. Granted, sending a town into a chaotic panic as he tore it down actually seemed kind of tame compared to brutally murdering an orphanage full of innocent children. I guess he was losing his touch.

Dang, it, my hero was an it, not a he! Hating the monster and plotting revenge on a killer was a lot easier than hating a person, especially a person like Perseus. Because my hero was out there right now, working to help calm everybody down. It didn't make sense.

He was a murderer, a ruthless, heartless assassin, not some relief worker. He left trails of blood, he didn't try and keep the peace and help people safely to their homes. It wasn't right. But it was happening even now.

I was hidden in the shadows of the ally, watching in disbelief as the sea green eyed boy helped an elderly couple maneuver around a fissure. He was smiling and happily chatting the time away, the pair completely oblivious to the fact that all this damage was his fault.

It always was.

I let my eyes close, leaning back and doing my best to think clearly, relaxing at the sound of his voice. I've always had a struggle with the monsters, the pain, the voices and the whispers that tried to control me.

But then he'd crash-landed back into my life, and suddenly it all stopped. He took the pain away and centered me. He gave me my purpose; to fight the monsters and to make sure no one else ever ended up like me.

I was already lost, there was no hope for me. But I'd be damned if I wasn't going to take Perseus down with me.

I took another look at him, unconsciously licking my lips. He'd already been perfect when he arrived, but now he was different. I honestly wasn't sure if I liked it or not. You couldn't help but be caught up in him now, the sway of his step, the color of his eyes, the sound of his voice.

It wasn't what I wanted though. I preferred the old monster. This was all too fake, too squeaky clean. He was already perfect, he didn't need that.

I frowned a little, confused at how far I'd gotten off track? Perfect? Yeah, a perfect killer. I needed to get that all back under control. I focused back on my hero, watching as he seemed to stiffen when he walked away from the old geezers, his smile fading into a grim reluctance.

And then he took off running, dashing towards the edge of town. I jumped after him, melting into the shadows and hopping from rooftop to rooftop as I followed close behind. People don't tend to look up if they're worried they'll be followed, and he was no different.

He sprinted out of town and down the road, heading into the woods. I went ahead of him, reforming in the shade of the trees, careful to stay out of sight. Where was he going?

He kept running for a good five minutes, finally slowing down and coming to a stop in the middle of an overgrown glade. Even at that breakneck pace he wasn't even breathing hard, looking entirely at ease as he stood there, silent and waiting.

I peered through the shadows, making sure to stay well out of sight. Was this some kind of rendezvous with some of the other, lower monsters?

"Is this far enough for you Nico?"

My heart stopped beating and my breath caught in my throat. No way, he couldn't know I was here, he had never even had me in his range. I held my breath and crouched low.

He turned around, eyes searching the shadows around the glade and I relaxed a little. He didn't know where I was. But he did know I was here.

"I need to talk to you," He pleaded, still searching "And I need you to listen."

Like hell was I going to do that! He must be crazy. I had nothing to say to the monster that had destroyed everything I ever cared about.

"I'm asking a lot. I know you still hate me for what happened. But I need you to understand Neeks, you have to know the truth."

What was there to know? And Neeks… I hated that name. I really did. It belonged to a boy who'd lost everything, who had died as he was thrown from home to home. Coming from him though, it sounded right. Neeks and the monster. My hero. It just fit somehow.

"I know that there's no fixing what happened. I can't undo the past, and believe me I've tried. That's why I'm here Nico. I have to make things right. And not just for me. All of this is my fault, all the monsters, the bonds, everything. I'm why Kronos has the key to finally destroying the world."

Kronos. That was the one responsible for the town takeover. How bad was he though, that my monster here was having to battle him? It must be a territory thing, there was only room for one evil incarnate at the top of the food chain.

"I'm going to need your help to end this Nico. And if you won't do it because of me, then don't. Do it for Hazel. Do it for your friends, for all the people who are going to die if we can't pull this off. Please, just think about it. I need you Nico."

Was it bad that I shivered at those last four words? Was it even worse that I actually thought about stepping out and giving him a chance? Not him, it, damn it! Why was it so hard to remember?

And then he looked straight at me, and I knew without a doubt that it didn't matter if I was fading into the shadows or if I was invisible to anyone else who came across me. He could see me.

"Please." Perseus pleaded.

He looked so deflated, so empty and genuine. I was gone the next second, emerging out to the shadows of my lair as my heart beat wildly in my chest. I'd had to run away from him.

Otherwise, I might have actually believed him. It. Crap.

My hero was charismatic. It got inside your head, made you think it really cared, that it was a friend. That's why I couldn't blame Hazel or her friends. They didn't realize they'd already fallen under its spell.

But I would save them. I would end this.

Mrs. O'Leary growled in the corner but I waved her off, starting to pace. But what if it was really trying to help? Apart from the earthquake, everything it had done had helped the town and sent the bad guys running. It didn't make any sense!

My mind was still racing when I felt something stir in my head, my limbs starting to go numb and send me falling to the floor. I had a split second to think "Oh for god's sake" before I hit the ground with a thud and my world went black.

Nightmare time. Terrific.

I huffed as I sat up, thoroughly ticked off as I looked around at my new surroundings. This whole dream vision thing had gotten old real fast. I hadn't had a new one in a few days though and been stupid enough to hope I could catch a break.

But no, fate had to go laugh in my face and kick me in the teeth. Might as well get this over with at least. Where was I anyway?

Immaculate marble tile surrounded me, asymmetrical patterns and colors carefully conditioned in an enormous lobby. There was a hustle and bustle as people tried to get to the elevators, small ports and store fronts were visible doing shrewd business, and the ceiling high above was littered with what looked like strange suns and stars.

It didn't take long to answer my question. At the other end of the lobby above the Information Desk was a giant relief of a skyscraper, beams of light in a sort of art deco style branching out from its peak. I'd seen enough picture to know that this was the lobby of the Empire State Building. I was back in New York.

"We're really here! This place is amazing Lukie!"

I searched for the source of that familiar voice, catching sight of Perseus. He was older than he had been in my last dream but still much younger than the hero I knew and hated. Probably around thirteen.

He was still scrawny as ever but had started to bulk up a bit from training and shot up a few inches as well. He looked more clean cut than usual, decked out in brand new blue… well, everything. Judging from the expensive bags dangling from his arms they'd been shopping. A lot.

His eyes were wide and wonder filled, looking at everything with excitement, while the blonde one, Luke, pushed him through the crowd. But… something seemed wrong with this picture. _He_ was still the same as he always was, cheerful, bubbly and bouncing all over the place.

Luke, on the other hand, was twitchy. As he helped push through the crowd he made sure to stray from the view of the cameras and staff, hiding his face and using the smaller boy as a barrier when he had to.

"Yeah, sure, amazing, a wonder of the modern world. Now, you know the plan kiddo? You go run around so I can take care of business. You remember the rules, right?"

Young Perseus nodded, instantly starting to recite them; "Have fun, don't get caught, don't answer any susp- sucpis-" He frowned, crinkling his nose as he tried to spit out the word suspicious.

"And what about the new one? The really important one Percy?" Luke pressed, pulling him off to the side.

Perseus thought for a second before grinning and quoting back "Say I'm alone if anybody asks and don't let them know about you."

Luke nodded and ruffled his hair, making the younger boy giggle. To the world, it was a picture-perfect moment, but something about it left me uneasy. Something wasn't right. The blonde, he was up to something. I'd seen enough of their dynamic in my dreams and in reality, to know how they worked. This was off from it, big time.

And apparently, I wasn't the only one who noticed.

"Lukie, is everything okay?"

The blonde frowned, a thousand and one expressions flashing across his face before he smoothed it all away.

"What? Yeah I… everything's going to be great."

Perseus and I didn't like that answer. The boy glanced down at the bags still dangling loosely from his arms, then back up to the older boy.

"Are you sure? Cause you're acting funny. And you made Grover stay home. And then you bought me all this stuff" He ruffled his bags to emphasize the point "And you only get me lots of new stuff when you've got bad news or when bad stuff is going to happen."

Even mini sized my hero had the brains of this operation. I turned my attention to Luke, leaning in close as he bold faced lied to the kid.

"Everything is fine. It's just a dream kid. Would I lie to you?"

Yes. Yes, he would. He'd probably enjoy it too. My Perseus knew that; he kept Luke at arm's length, he didn't let him get too close. He knew the danger. But this Perseus didn't. He opened his mouth, the words "My dreams-" slipping off his tongue before he paused. He shook his head and beamed up at his friend while Luke formed a smile.

"Well then like I said, everything's going to be cool. Now get out of here kid, go find some trouble. Stay in the building until I come find you, and remember! Don't leave until I come get you, no matter what happens."

Perseus nodded and gave Luke a mock salute. The teen cracked a grin, leaning down and kissing his forehead, ruffling the younger boy's hair one last time before the boy ran off as fast as his little legs would carry him to the guides.

This wasn't going to end well, was it? Luke meanwhile stayed there for a long while, staring after him with a pained, hollow expression on his face. Then he shook his head, turning on his heel and making his way to the elevators.

"Thirty-nine billion Luke. Forget the kid and get your head in the game. It's show time."

Oh. That's all kinds of promising fun stuff, isn't it?

"He's about to screw things up big time, isn't he?" I asked, glancing around the room.

The dream didn't respond, the crowd still buzzing with false life as though nothing could ever or would ever happen. Luke cautiously meandered over to a golden elevator, sidestepping the out of order sign with the doors closing as soon as he got in. Light filled the cracks as I watched, the floor numbers above skyrocketing to the top before flashing all at once and going dark.

I checked around, unsure of who to follow this time. In the end, I gave in and followed my gut to the tour guides, unsurprised to find Perseus still waiting. The boy was full of wonder for his surroundings, drinking up everything he saw and asking all kinds of weird questions as we were led through the skyscraper.

I managed to shake off the feeling of impending doom, instead opting to listen to the guide and pretend that this wasn't a dream about the boy who I hated more than anything else in the world. It was actually kind of a nice break, just wandering about with him.

In another world where he wasn't the monster who had ruined my life, I think we could have even been friends. The way he joked, that weird smile of his, and that mischief; it was almost addictive in some strange way. If only…

It took me a while to really pick up on the whispers. I was too caught up with everything to notice at first. A girl whispering to a guard in the office here, worried looks and chatter from businessmen on the elevator, and work even stopped as whole floors started a quiet panic, going to gossip over production.

I don't think it was until the tour guide herself was pulled away that I really noticed. I gave into curiosity and followed after her, catching the words Zeus, Master Bolt, Missing, and somehow the most crucial, hushed detail of all, 'doesn't know yet'.

Zeus, god of the sky, and king of the gods? What was going on here?

The whispers got louder, turning into anxious chatter, new words like stolen, thief, and murder popping up. And then the thunder started. As we passed a window, dark clouds instantly blotted out the pristine sky, rain and hail seeming to appear a second later while the sky boomed. And yet even as the dark weather turned into a dark storm, no lightning appeared. It hit me around the same time people started looking and pointing at Perseus, a terrible epiphany darning on me as the accusations spread.

Luke had stolen Zeus' lightning bolt. And those new rules of his, the ones that made Perseus stay here, at the scene of the crime, and claim he didn't know him if he was questioned. This was all a setup, and if somebody figured out what he was, or started to notice that the shoe box in his new bags looked like they could hide just about anything, then it was all a done deal.

And it was.

This was the thing they were still fighting over. This was when Luke betrayed my hero.

Perseus looked up from the mural he'd been gawking at, seizing up when he noticed all the attention he was getting, fear shining through as a few security guards showed their way towards him. Perseus bolted.

"Stop that kid!" They shouted, sprinting after him.

The chase was on, Perseus ducking in and out of crowds and hiding behind pillars and work stalls before taking the stairs down three at a time, tossing his bags back to slow his pursuers. More guards moved in, starting to cut him off at every turn now. A burly, hulking figure roared as it caught sight of Perseus like literally roared, then charged at him, showing off four arms and a set of curved wings as it swung.

Perseus ducked under its wild swipes and sprinted into the lobby trying to cut through the mob of people.

"Thief!" the staff screeched, all pointing at him.

Now the regulars went after him, the mortals grabbing and snatching at him as he passed. Perseus spun around, panic starting to build up in his eyes, letting out an angry cry and then slamming his foot down. The building jolted and the marble visibly rippled out from him, his pursuers stumbling back, the people falling on their butts from the sudden tremor.

Lovely, one more power I'd have to look out for. Later though, now he was getting away. It was pretty easy to follow his trail though; he had a whole angry horde on his tail as he ran out the door.

The thunder boomed high above, hail and rain crashing down onto the deserted streets. And the monsters, all kinds of them of all shapes and sizes imaginable were after him now, their terrible screams and shouts swallowed up in the storm.

Perseus didn't have the speed or the stamina my version did, the monsters were gaining fast and he was losing his head start even faster. But then he jerked to the side, speeding to the middle of the road. There was an explosion of sewer water and a manhole flew high into the air, disappearing above.

Perseus jumped into the darkness below and vanished out of sight. I had one last second to see the monsters surrounding the gaping hole before everything dissolved, the city vanishing like watercolors as they washed downstream.

And then it faded into the crummy apartment I had seen in my last dream. Only now it looked even worse. The place honestly looked like it had been ransacked by a couple of tornados. Furniture had been overturned, the doors were either wide open or completely off their hinges, and clothes and once what had probably been prized possessions had been carelessly trampled underfoot or tossed in haphazard piles.

The monsters must have spread the news and tracked him back here. I remembered how often I'd had to go on the run before I got to Odyssey Cove, all the homes I'd had to abandon, playing a never-ending game of cat and mouse. Only it looked like the cat had won this round.

I heard footsteps outside the shattered front door and glanced over, waiting with baited breath. More monsters? Luke? A luminescent sword appeared first, giving a hesitant poke around the corner; _his_ sword.

Perseus twisted around, taking a defensive stance, alert and ready, his eyes darting across the ravaged front room. He took a few cautious steps in, passing right by me, doing slow rotations as he surveyed the scene. He looked lost and confused, sword going limp in his grasp as he kept going.

"Luke?" He called, peering into an empty room, then making his way down the hall "Grover?"

He spun around as a reply groaned out from under the overturned couch, advancing quickly and peering underneath like a little kid checking for nightmares under his bed.

"Who's there?" He demanded, poking his sword into a gap.

"Depends on who you're asking dude" A weak voice managed "And if you keep poking that sword around in here, the answers going to be a very dead satyr, and I'm really not feeling it today. I don't want to be a flower yet."

"Grover!" Perseus tossed Riptide aside and struggled with the couch, righting it only to find a bruised satyr lying in the filth "Dude what happened?"

Perseus hovered over his best friend, obviously not knowing how to help before tossing his hands up and racing into the kitchen. I heard the tap turn on and cupboards open and close while Grover forced himself up, grimacing in pain. He looked like he'd been hit by a truck, and knowing some of the monsters out there, I probably wasn't too far off.

I'd never met Grover, not in real life. After my sister was murdered I didn't exactly have this burning desire to go meet the trusted ally and best friend of my arch nemesis. From the dreams, though he'd turned out to be pretty decent, but then again, things changed. For all I know he's as bad as my hero turned out to be. His secrets were hidden with Perseus too, all knotted in whatever was happening now.

Perseus rushed back in, handing him a small square of some kind of food and then pouring a glass of water over his head. The satyr shivered as the water ran down his skin and over his torn clothes, munching on the square to distract himself.

Perseus grabbed his hand, closing his eyes and concentrating while Grover finally swallowed the square. I had to admit I was a little more than impressed when the bruises started to fade away in front of my eyes, blotchy, purple skin, turning red, and then finally going back to their natural shades.

I needed to get myself some of those squares, I'd be healed in not time. And if I had a Perseus- I had to stop that train of thought, something in my stomach fluttering at the idea.

"Ah look at my legs!" Grover lamented, burying his face in his hands.

I didn't really get it, his furry, weird goat legs looked fine, but then I saw the fake ones in the corner of the room. Or at least what was left of them anyways. They'd been smashed to bits, pieces of toe and thigh lying all over the place. No more easy disguises for him. At least his horns hadn't grown in. I didn't even know how Ferdinand had kept his hidden.

"Tell you what, next pairs on me." Percy promised, smiling at some kind of inside joke before going serious again "Now seriously, what happened? Everything's gone crazy today with Luke and the Empire State, and I swear I'm gonna lose it. You okay at least?"

Grover nodded exhaustedly, leaning back on the couch and closing his eyes.

"Just a couple of freaks looking for the Sea Prince." He tried to play it cool and laugh it off, but Perseus' eyes got wide at the mention of the title.

"They were looking for me? And you got hurt because of…" It took a while for the sentences to connect in his head, and when they did he looked like he wanted to hurl, staring down at his hands with disgust.

"Don't sweat it Perc. Now that you're back we can work it all out, prove you're innocent and get that two-faced liar behind bars. And besides, I've been through way worse. You remember that time with the sphinx in San Fran? Ungh, I still have night terrors about that. All those bunnies…" He shivered at the though.

"Huh? Um, I literally have no idea what you're going on about. Put who behind bars?" Perseus shook his head, trying to get back on point "Never mind! We need to get to the safe house and then we have to figure out how to bust Luke out."

Grover raised an eyebrow "They already caught him? And you want to bust him out? Do we need to get your head examined bro, cause that's just a little on the extreme insanity side of things? After what he did it serves him right"

Perseus looked like he'd been slapped. "What? Why would you even say that he's probably in big trouble!"

Now it was Grover's turn to be shocked.

"Why would I say that? How about because he's been using you? Or how about because he's been lying to us? I mean I guess if this is like some big double cross Oceans 11 style and you two were planning this from the beginning that makes it kinda better, but you wouldn't do that. And besides, not even the best movie, that Clooney guy is so overrated."

Perseus tilted his head to the side, mouth hanging open, trapped somewhere in-between shock, bewilderment, and anger.

"Using me and lying- what are you talking about? All we did was go to the Empire State Building for Luke to do some business. I guess I screwed up and the next thing I know the whole place is after me. He probably got caught in all the chaos, we have to go back and get him!"

Grover's shoulders fell and his eyes got a little wide, looking at his friend with worry and undisguised pity.

"You don't know what he did, do you?"

Perseus crossed his arms, starting to glare angrily at his friend. Grover looked away, tugging at his curls and tapping his hooves, trying to look anywhere else but at the black-haired boy.

"Percy, I don't know how to tell you this, and I really don't want to be the one who has to do it. The three of us, we've been together for ages now. We're family. But Luke… Percy, do you know what's at the top of the Empire State Building?"

Perseus shook his head, still staying on the defensive.

"Olympus. The home of the gods. That's why Luke never wanted to go there, dude. That place is crawling with the gods, their servants, and their allies."

"Okay so he forgot to mention that part, he said he was going to an important deal. He lets me come along on those all the time, and he knows I've always wanted to go there. He probably just didn't want me to act out of place and screw it up."

That was weak and even Perseus seemed to realize it, even if he was putting up a brave front. Grover shook his head, starting to hop from foot to foot anxiously.

"He stole the Master Bolt Percy, Zeus' number one toy. The message is already out, only they're saying it was you who stole it. And now Luke's long gone. I found what was left of the ticket printouts this morning at the bottom of the trash. I just didn't know what he was up to until they came for you."

"That makes literally no sense," Perseus complained, looking unconvinced.

Grover groaned and gave his friend a pleading look, trying to convey a point that wouldn't click no matter how hard he tried. Not yet anyways.

"Just listen; he's been acting weird and vanishing in the middle of the night. He never paid this month's rent on the place, and we've been eating out at fancy restaurants every night, we're going through cash like no man's goat!"

Perseus rolled his eyes and went over to the couch, starting to flip it back over and sitting down in a huff.

"Luke's been splurging because my birthday's next month and he's been promising to make it something I'd never forget. This joint? When have we ever paid the rent on time, we always put it off until the last minute? And Luke leaves in the middle of the night all the time, it's a thief thing and you know it. He's family Grover, he would never even think about something like that. I can't even believe you'd say that you're acting crazy!"

"What about the ticket then?"

That stumped Perseus a little. I ventured away while he tried to come up with an excuse for the traitor, thinking everything over. No matter what Grover said, Perseus would deny whatever he said because that's the kind of person he was. Unless he himself had undeniable proof that someone had actually stabbed him in the back, he wouldn't believe anything else, even if he was bleeding out from it.

"Luke took you, an unknown kid of the big three, to the home of the gods" Grover went on, "And then he suddenly vanishes at the same time as the bolt, leaving a single rogue demigod, even worse, a child of the big three, standing at the scene of the crime where everybody can see. He used you as a patsy and is getting away with it, probably to some resort where nobody's going to think to look because right now all eyes are on you!"

Perseus just shook his head and covered his ears, unwilling or maybe unable to listen anymore. Grover picked up on the hole in his friend's defense and started picking at it.

"I don't know why he would do it. But I do know that it means that you're in trouble. Big trouble dude. Because right now everyone thinks you just ripped off the king of the gods and you've got the most powerful jackpot ever to boot."

Perseus wasn't even listening at this point, closing his eyes and whipping his head back and forth, as though that would somehow shield him from the painful truth that was tearing his story to bits in front of him.

"Shut up! Luke loves me, he told me! He's not a bad guy, and he never could be. You've got it all wrong, he'd never hurt me, or you!"

Hurt and fear had pooled into anger, and Perseus glared at his friend, a bit of his dark, future self-flashing through my head as I saw pieces of what would one day be my monster.

"But Percy why can't you just-"

Grover let out a surprised bleat as Perseus flashed forward, ripping the satyr's jacket off and digging into the pockets, finally pulling out some of the monster money; drachmas or whatever.

He whirled back around, his outstretched hand pointing towards the sink before making a wrenching motion. The pipes groaned before erupting, water blasting out in a gurgling, gushing fountain. He clenched his fist and the water constricted, concentrating until it was a misting breeze casting small, discolored rainbows in the flickering lights.

I heard Perseus mutter something under his breath, a prayer to someone going too fast for me to hear before he flung the coin through the mist of a rainbow. It didn't make it to the other side, vanishing halfway through in a multicolored flash.

"Show me, Luke." Perseus barked.

My eyes widened as the vagrant rainbows coalesced into one spiraling cacophony of color before melting away, revealing a gloomy, and grayscale looking room with various chairs bolted to the floor. Not much could be seen from this angle, but I could make out various smoky forms moving about, although the image was focused on one. Castellan. He was sitting in one of the chairs, with his left wrist handcuffed, the chain going downwards out of sight, and beside him were three angry looking guards.

Perseus let out a triumphant, somewhat relieved cry and whirled around on his friend. Grover and I had to admit, that didn't look like someone who had just pulled off the biggest heist in the world and gotten away with it.

But that's what had happened, right? At least from the bits I'd overheard, this had all be going on for months before they finally caught him. Maybe he'd had to escape again?

"See? I told you. He's family Grover. He'd never let us down. Now come on we have to go help him."

Grover was opening his mouth to protest, to try and save his best friend from heartbreak or at least soften the blow and keep him from getting himself killed. He didn't have to in the end. Luke did it for him.

"Sir, your flight's about to begin boarding, please follow us." One of the guards said, giving a respectful nod to the younger boy.

Luke gave a sleazy smile and nodded, standing up and lifting the handcuffs up, revealing that the other end was firmly connected to a cylindrical briefcase.

"Fiji here I come. Come on boys, let's go" He grinned, flipping on a pair of sunglasses, and leading the way, his bodyguards matching him step for step.

I didn't get to see anymore. The image died away, the water losing its focus and falling away, splashing all over the floor. I glanced back around as Perseus slowly fell to his knees, expression empty, the fire in his eyes completely extinguished.

"Percy?" Grover leaned over, going around and kneeling beside him.

Confusion played over Perseus' face as he tried to connect pieces that wouldn't fit, finally having to put them together in a way he didn't want to see or even think about. A single tear fell down his cheeks, and he looked up to Grover, the raw hurt starting to show through.

"Percy…"

Perseus' fists clenched and he looked away, anger trying to fight off the agony.

"It's all lies." His voice sounded hoarse now "Some sick trick. I don't be… I don't believe he…"

He looked up into his friend's eyes, anger and confusion all that remained in his face as he grimaced, the truth eating him from the inside out.

"I'm sorry Percy. I didn't figure it out till it was already done." Grover tried to move in, kneeling beside his best friend.

"He said... He said we were special. He said he wouldn't lie to me... Why?"

Perseus never got his answer. The front of the apartment was knocked in as a thick set woman burst in, wildly swinging a club and screaming like a lunatic, her one giant eye locked on the grounded madly scrambled away, trying to pull Perseus along with him, but he shook him off, standing defiant, that same fire that had so quickly vanished only a second before roaring back to life.

"My dreams come true..."

The cyclopean woman charged, and the apartment shrieked and squealed as the pipes burst, gallons and gallons of water bursting through and cascading over her. A small tidal wave slammed him back and forth while Grover cowered in the corner, bleating fearfully as a hurricane started forming around his friend.

Perseus never moved from his spot, never went to pick up his sword. He just stood there, boring holes through whatever lack of a soul the monster had, the water spinning and spiraling out from him, a horrific explosion of sound wrenching the air to and fro. The cyclops tried to get free but the water just kept coming, the apartment somehow seeming to flood with enough water to fill a river or three.

"Percy!" Grover cried, having to cling to the inside of a cabinet as the hurricane's force picked up.

The roof and walls and floor were all coming away now under the force of the gale, Perseus was almost invisible in the eye of the cyclone now.

And then there was a single cry, a pained, surrendered cry that cut through the deafening screams of the hurricane, and the cyclops disintegrated. A moment later, the storm stopped, the water splashing down, limp and inert, spilling out of the holes and cracks the son of Poseidon had created.

Perseus was staring down at the floor while the apartment creaked and groaned, the sound of panic from other apartments the only audible sound as the water seemed to flicker and vanish around him.

Grover shook himself off, straining his sopping hair out, before creeping close to his motionless friend.

"Percy, we have to go. They will never stop, not until they have the bolt, we're not safe here man."

Perseus didn't move, he just stayed there, a puppet with all its strings cut and tangled. Grover grimaced, gingerly shaking his shoulder before sighing and running out of the room, grabbing what was left off clothes and food and stuffing them into bags.

"I know you're hurting Percy, but we can't stay here, everybody who's come through is the shoot first ask questions later kinda freaks. We have to move."

"No."

Grover whirled around, waving his arms in exasperation.

"Percy the entire mythical world is after you, we have to-"

"I have to go. They're not after you Grover. I'll leave a trail for them to follow while you get out of here. Then I'll go quiet, I've done it before."

Grover shook his head, already starting to object before Perseus had even finished.

"I'm not leaving you, you're going to need help. If they find you they'll kill you!"

"And if they find you with me they'll kill you too. I just lost one of my two only friends in the world Grover. I can't lose any more."

They stared each other down for a long time, the only sound being Perseus' own labored breathing and the occasional drip of water. Grover looked ready to keep arguing, at least until something screeched in the distance, the feral sound echoing eerily into the ruined apartment.

"Whatever, do your hero thing," Grover relented, tossing Perseus a bag "But we meet up the first chance we get."

Perseus shook his head trying to object, but Grover defiantly glared back at the son of Poseidon.

"It's that or I'm going with you Percy. You're not the only one who lost a friend."

Perseus spun on his heel, the water still in the room starting to pulse and froth around him as he tried to decide.

"Deal," Perseus spun back around, throwing the bag over his shoulder "I'll come around to my old neighborhood the first chance I get."

Grover let out a relieved sigh and gave a small smile "I'll be waiting bro. Try not to die, okay?"

Perseus rolled his eyes and pulled Grover in for a hug.

"We'll fix this dude. It can only go up from here." Grover promised.

Perseus never answered. He clung to the satyr for a final moment, before running towards the door, shouting loudly and cat calling the coming monsters as he made his way out into the darkness. He only looked back once as he reached what had been the doorway, all the fear and anger that had vanished only a few seconds ago still shining through.

But then he was gone, and the room around me fell apart. The walls crumbled, revealing dirty brick and faded graffiti, and the ceiling fractured overhead and collapsed down on the satyr and me, ominous gray clouds bleeding in through the voids.

I had enough time to recognize the streets as the ghetto where Perseus had lost his mother and killed the Minotaur before said Hero came sprinting around the corner and leaving me in the dust as he passed.

I jogged to catch up, frowning as he stumbled, barely managing to stay upright. I couldn't tell how much time had passed since he started running, but it had definitely been a lot longer than he and Grover had expected. His clothes were nothing but rags that barely clung to his emaciated skin, skin that was covered in mottled contusions and barely healed lacerations.

Dark rings were under his eyes, eyes hidden by unkempt and ragged hair, while his breath was coming out in short, jagged gasps. Sheesh, how long had he been running?

Something inhuman screeched in the distance and Perseus sped up, dashing faster and faster, his breath turning to a desperate wheeze now. I caught movement in the corner of my eye, spinning to see three women with bat like wings ripping out of their backs with fiery whips dragging the ground behind them as they swooped low their fanged jaws snapping in delight.

One look at Perseus told me why; this was the end of the hunt. He'd been running too long. I could see it in his stumble, and that dead look in his eyes. They were gaining and he knew it. He still zigzagged, cutting down a narrow side street and trying to make a break for the river, but one of the bat freaks broke away from the flock and blocked him. He was forced to make his way back out to the main street.

They played cat and mouse with him, wearing him out, until he finally collapsed in a heap, choking on air and too weak to move.

The bat women let out a victory cry, swooping low and circling him like vultures, fiery whips singing the ground in ever closing circles around him.

"You made it far," One of them hissed sounding impressed.

"And you made it last," the second added "Three months with the whole world hunting you down."

The final one landed a few feet away, leering down at the downed boy.

"But no matter how far you run or how well you hide, the Furies always find you in the end. And this is the end, you Sea Brat."

Perseus forced himself up, face pale from exhaustion as he leveled his shaking sword at her chest.

"He's still got some spirit!" The Fury cackled.

The third smiled, coiling her whip. "Good. One more thing we can break sisters. Come on little demigod, hit us with your best shot."

Perseus did.

Half dead and barely standing he made a defending swing. The Fury sidestepped with ease as he stumbled forward, Perseus falling to his hands and knees. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the burning whip against his back.

He let out a scream, the wound bloody but already cauterized by the flames. He raised himself up and brought his fists crushing down on the pavement. It cracked under his touch, the whole street shaking and rolling from the miniature quake. The Furies simply took to the air and another whip cracked across his back, sending him face first against the cold stone.

The furies laughed and jeered while he pulled himself back up once again, swaying dangerously. I felt sick to my stomach as I saw him like that. A part of me was begging him to stay down, to stop the pain. People didn't deserve this, not even him. But he didn't go down. Another whip crack, another agonized cry, and another burning scar.

"That the best you got?" Percy spat out blood, glaring straight into the Furies eyes.

She grinned and took a step back, the whip starting to blaze white.

I couldn't tell if he was an idiot or a real monster at this point; unwilling to go down even when the odds were stacked so high against him that they practically scraped into orbit. Either way, he kept getting up. More whips cracked, the Furies delighting in his agony but growing irked at his still surviving spirit.

The leader finally seemed to get bored, snarling as she landed the most savage blow yet, the impact sparkling with power as it sent him hurling into the air and then crashing down a few feet away. This time he didn't get up.

The Furies went quiet, staring down at him and watching silently, eyes latched onto the motionless boy. They could have passed off as ugly demon grandma statues as the seconds rolled by, eyes never blinking or straying from their prey. It wasn't until he let out a long moan and his chest finally started heaving, coughing and gasping for air that they became animate again, fangs bared in toothy grins.

He pulled himself up to his knees, using his sword to keep him upright as he struggled to stand up, to fight, but in the end, he just didn't have it in him. He collapsed back to his knees, putting his forehead up against the hilt of his sword.

Even in the dream, I felt his life force flicker, threatening to go out at a moment's notice. He wouldn't survive another blow. The Furies whispered amongst themselves, fighting over who deserved to reap his soul. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. This wasn't right, he didn't deserve this! I mean he did now, but that was different, this was different. Right?

The leader, Alecto, finally seemed to win the argument, spinning her whip and advancing on the dying boy. I couldn't help it. I stepped between them, trying to end this, to make it all stop, but she walked right through me as though I wasn't even there. And I wasn't. There was no stopping what was about to happen.

Perseus smiled into his sword, shoulders slumping and his eyes closing.

"I can't wait to see you." He whispered hoarsely, choking up on the words as the Fury readied the final blow "I missed you, mom. Be back with you real soon. Sorry, Grover…"

No, I didn't want to see this, I didn't want to watch him die. He can't die you, idiot! My brain scolded me, reminding me that he couldn't have ruined my life if he was dead. But still, how was he supposed to survive this?

I never heard the noise, that ticking of clockwork mechanisms or the heavy, confident footfalls drawing nearer. Neither did Perseus or the Furies. But we all suddenly felt something very wrong in the air, something that made our skin crawl and made my soul shiver.

Cruel golden light, the kind of light I've only seen once before and never wanted to see again, exploded into existence. The Furies didn't have time to register as the blinding wave of light ripped through them. One second they were there, the next the light swallowed them up, a golden void filling the air where they had been before, the monster dust withering, turning black and falling to the earth, unmoving and dull.

I tried turning around to face the newcomer and my heroes' savior, but I couldn't, every instinct in my body telling me not to look. In the end, I did though.

Have you ever watched a horror movie or murder flick? There are moments when you see the true villain of the story, that final boss, and you can just instantly know who they are. Which is how as my eyes fell on the newcomer, I knew without a doubt that I was looking at the enemy Perseus had just talked about.

This was Kronos.

He stood a little over eight feet tall, and his body was… it was a machine. Bronze, steel, gold, and iron made up a gilded, hulking mass of metallic muscle. His 'skin' was pieces of interlocking armor, littered with small scratches and dents, evidence of a thousand and one battles and victories.

Huge arms that looked like they could easily crush a building just by flexing ended in slender, claw-like fingers, each one a different metal. And his face; this wasn't his true form I could tell but I still couldn't but flinch when I looked at it.

It looked human, or at least like what a human would look like if you ripped off the skin and left nothing but muscle and bone. The nose had been practically eliminated, and lines of golden light branched out from his eyes, holes filled with solid golden light. Strategic holes in the skin showed his inner workings, ticking and clicking as the gears went around and around, his chest actually rising and falling as he gazed down at Perseus with something akin to mild interest.

He was like some killer death robot, alien clockwork god, built of raw power, the kind Perseus gave out, only so much stronger, that power emanating from his whole being, overwhelming ever other sense. He had been there that night, the night of the massacre. I'd' forgotten him for so long. I never thought about the golden figure striding beside my bloody hero.

Looking at him now, maybe that was a good thing though. How were you supposed to fight something like that? Just seeing him in a dream made me want to curl up in a ball and just die, maybe fade into a void where this titanic force couldn't hurt me.

I heard something scrape behind me, looking back and feeling my jaw drop a little.

Perseus had somehow made it back up to his feet, his blade pushed up and pointing squarely at Kronos. On the brink of death even he knew better than to stay down this time.

The dream flickered dangerously, an image of my Perseus in the same pose only with an even more, if possible, monstrous Kronos still staring down at the older hero. The images overlapped, still flickering, before slowly fading out and leaving only the dream versions of the two monsters.

"It appears I arrived in the nick of time," Kronos observed, breaking the silent standoff, a mechanical smirk crossing his horrific features.

There, that was the real titan. The body was just a front, something to tie him down and give him form. The eyes and the voice though, that was the real king. Slow and cunning yet thickly hypnotic; if you listened to that voice long enough you'd either go mad or start doing very, _very_ bad things.

Perseus was fighting his exhaustion and stayed silent, still ready. Kronos started advancing the ground shaking slightly under his footfalls. Perseus instantly started retreating, taking five steps back for every one of Kronos'.

"You're him. You're the bad guy everybody keeps talking about." He accused, trying to keep his voice loud and strong even as he stumbled back.

Kronos nodded. "Indeed. And you are Perseus Jackson, the scapegoat of a truly unfortunate series of events."

Perseus tripped, sword skidding away as he hit the ground. Before he could get back up Kronos was at his side, crouching down to examine him.

"Allow me to assist you." The titan king offered.

Perseus tried to protest, scrambling back blindly only for his newly scarred back to collide with Kronos' clawed palm.

Golden light spiraled out from the contact and Perseus jumped, rolling away and leaping to his feet. The golden light pooled beneath his skin and I watched in amazement as the color returned to his cheeks and his injuries healed themselves, his emaciated form thickening back into firm muscle and health. That water trick my hero pulled for Grover had nothing on this.

Even the scars were gone now if anything he looked better than he ever had before. He blinked down at himself, taken aback, snapping back into focus as Kronos rose.

"Call that a sign of good will. A gift to grant release from that which the vagaries of time have wrought upon you. One of many if you are to acquiesce to my offer."

"If I agree to what?" Perseus snatched up his sword, establishing some distance between himself and the towering titan.

Kronos waved one of his massive hands, dismissing the question as he crossed his arms behind his back, setting a cool, unmoving stare as he started to circle the boy.

"All in good time child."

My hero turned warily, keeping Kronos in his sights at all times while he kept circling, a practical shark, watching and waiting. I nearly tripped backing myself up as Kronos came close, making sure to give him as wide a berth as possible.

Kronos finally stopped walking, once again simply towering over the son of Poseidon, his stare never faltering. And then he spoke again, his voice oozing and twisting through the air, thick with charisma and malice.

"At age six you single handedly bested the savage might of the Minotaur. For the following half decade, you entered a perpetual state of survival, adapting and evolving as the situation demanded. But then you aligned yourself with the thief and let your powers stagnate and your potential atrophy. Until now"

Perseus gave an impatient huff and slashed his sword down to his side, making a fist. "I don't need a reminder. That's my story. I know my mistakes."

Kronos gave a bemused smile and turned his back on the demigod, staring out over the dilapidated neighborhood around us. Perseus instantly glanced around, checking for the fastest escape route, finally seeming to settle on a side road that led closer to the river.

He hadn't even moved when Kronos spoke up, not bothering to look behind as Perseus froze.

"Go on, run. I will not pursue, and I will not undo the blessing I bestowed upon you. Feel free to leave."

Perseus hesitated now, glancing back and forth between the road and the titan, tightening his sword in his grasp. I wanted to tell him to run, to not look back. This was the one who put him on a path to being my monster. This was where it all started.

"What do you want?" Perseus snapped, standing his ground.

From where I stood, I could see Kronos' smile tilt upwards as he turned around, eyes locking on the young boy.

"I want you."

Perseus didn't like the sound of that any more than I did. A split second later he was ten feet towards the road, sword up again.

"No way! I heard what you do to demigods, I remember what happened to Ethan." He was still backtracking now, eyes locked solely on the monster in front of him "You took over his mind, you killed him."

A horrible sound, to nightmarish to put into words cut through the air as Kronos let out a peel of laughter, his metallic features looking amused once more.

"Fret not, I am not after your body. I relinquished my quest for a vessel years ago. Those mortal shells could not hold my true form as long as was required. And so, I commissioned Daedalus to befit me with a more… sophisticated design." He waved a shining claw over himself, the golden glow that ran through him seeming to brighten for a split second.

"And I'm supposed to believe that?" Perseus asked dubiously.

Kronos smiled faded and he put his hands back behind his back, studying the boy again.

"Perseus Jackson, I swear or Styx that I have not, nor shall I ever, lie to you."

Thunder rumbled in the distance and Perseus swallowed, eyes wide and taken aback. Swearing on Styx? Obviously meant something important.

"You're the bad guy."

Kronos gave a disinterested nod and examined one of his claws.

"Yes, I do believe we established that. Perhaps the rumors of your admirable intellect were over exaggerated."

Well… I mean, he's right but still. I didn't exactly want someone who was the worst of the worst to be backing up my argument.

Perseus ignored the quip about his intelligence and kept going. "I shouldn't even be talking to you. I'm one of the heroes, I don't want to be involved. I just want to get away."

Kronos scoffed, his charming air fading away into a condescending scorn.

"You are a penniless gutter orphan on the brisk of death, falsely prosecuted for a heinous crime, and have spent a feeble majority of your life with a thief, enjoying the lifestyle which it entails. That is not how one describes a hero. You are not a hero. I would be the greater fool if I appealed to you as a hero. In the end, you would play the traitor to your morals and your heart. I don't need a hero. I need you. I need a fellow survivor."

"Survivor?" Perseus echoed, his sword dropping a few inches.

Kronos nodded, expressionless as he once again began circling the young boy, his voice still sharp, but laced with cunning and charisma once again.

"I need a warrior, someone with whom I can usher in the next golden age. I need a soldier who can evolve, one whom can become a weapon to strike down my enemies. You have power and potential, an amalgam I have searched far and wide for."

Perseus shook his head, trying to step away, but with every step Kronos only moved in closer, each round pushing Perseus against a wall.

"You have nothing to lose Perseus, and you have seen the world and the gods for what they are. Join me and we will change this world. Imagine, a world where children do not lose their only family to monsters, where they cannot be abandoned by their godly parents. I am as you so aptly put it, the bad guy. I will not wait for the new world to come to me, I will make it, and by any means necessary,"

Golden light spiraled out from the titan, elegant designs spreading up along the wall, shapes and figures lacing together to form a golden paradise as he went on,

"Do not fret though. Unlike your gods, I find humanity to be a useful and necessary part of our existence and should be treated as such. The hubris that shall be the god's demise does not cloud my vision. All shall be dealt the justice they deserve in the re-genesis of the titans. The utopia you could help create would be one of legend."

Whoa. I don't even…. Whoa.

"I don't want to be a weapon. I don't want to hurt people." Perseus said it so sincerely I almost believed him.

But I didn't. I laughed out loud, "Yeah right."

I'd seen him in battle here in Odyssey Cove, I saw the hunger in his eyes when he fought, even if he did keep it under wraps. Just more lies. Right?

"Really? And what about the true Lightning Thief, Castellan?"

Perseus went stiff. Kronos had found the chink in his armor.

He tried to shake it off with a laugh, but it was weak and hollow. "Hurt Luke? Are you serious?"

Kronos didn't say anything. He just waited. Perseus started to squirm now, trying to talk his way out of the corner Kronos had backed him into with a simple question.

"I mean yeah I was angry when I found out. I hated his guts for a while, but he's still Luke, he's still my friend. After what he did I deserve to be mad, I thought he deserved to die."

"In other words, you wish him to be dead?"

Perseus yelped, quickly backtracking as he realized what he'd just confessed.

"No! I mean I didn't want him to die, I just wanted him to get what he deserved for all this. Not that I wanted him dead. Or still, want him dead! I mean I don't. The jerk needs to know what he did to me, he needs to feel how much he hurt me."

Perseus let out an angry huff, starting to run himself in circles, digging himself in deeper and deeper as he tried to fix and lie his way out, only to get flustered and say something worse than try to fix that.

"Are you quite done?" Kronos finally interrupted.

Perseus went quiet, twitching and breathing hard. It wasn't hard to see why though. His body may have been patched up and good as new, but his mind was still in survival mode. Three months with creatures like the Furies coming after him nonstop, three months of endless torture, fear, and rage. Conscious and thought went out the window when you were like that, there wasn't any reason or rhyme.

That was why he would join. It didn't matter what his true colors were. It didn't matter if he was a hero or if he tried to make the right choices. Sure, he could change, but right now there was nothing to change. When you're that low, there's nothing left to hold you up, to try and keep you in the light. All you care about is surviving, getting what you need to get by, and what you want to do it with.

I knew how that was. That's how I lived. That's how I felt. That was why I had to kill him. That hate for him was all I had anymore.

"Answer the question Perseus. All I want is the truth."

Perseus didn't answer. He just stared up at his grandfather, that hero bravado slipping away, until there was just a young boy with an old sword, staring up at a monster.

He nodded brokenly. Kronos smiled.

"I understand your trepidation. This is where your life changes, and if you want to survive, and I know you do, then you will come with me. You cannot refuse. How much longer do you think you can keep running?"

Kronos took a step away, eyes scanning the distant horizon. Following his gaze, I could see things moving in the distance, growing steadily clearer. Monsters, no doubt about it. They'd be here soon.

"Join me, become a champion of the titans. Survive, and change the world. Claim your revenge on the ones who wronged you, anything you want, you can have. The gods will-"

"No."

Kronos stopped, actually taken aback for a single moment before his eyes zeroed in on Perseus in disbelief.

Perseus tossed Riptide away and stared defiantly back up at the titan, starting to reflate.

"You're right, I'm not a hero, no matter how hard I wish I was. And I don't want to hurt people. Not even Luke. Yeah, I want them to know how they hurt me, to see the scars… I may not be good enough to be a hero, but I'm not going to be one of you. I'm sorry but I just can't. And I don't know how long I have to keep running. In the end, I'll make it work."

Perseus gave a respectful salute and turned on his heel, heading to the river.

Kronos stared after him, expression dead, still as a statue while his light seemed to flare. Perseus had done it. He had turned down the power, he'd practically had Castellan's head on a plate. How had he turned that down? I'd take an offer like that in an instant. I mean sure it came with strings, like being the lackey to a megalomaniac titan but I would have taken it.

No. No, I wouldn't. Right? I mean… it was worth it. To fix what was wrong. Wasn't it?

"Shame. I would have thought you would enjoy reclaiming your mother from death's abode."

Checkmate.

My hero paused again and Kronos swooped in, taking this second chance at his victim for all it was worth.

"When the new order has arrived, such a task will be a trifle, one of many rewards I would be willing to grant to one of my loyal kin if it was their desire."

Kronos let that sink in, watching the way Perseus' shoulders hunched and his fists clenched and unclenched, his fingers tapping a chaotic symphony into his side as Kronos waited.

"You could bring her back?" His voice was small, practically a whisper, but he was heard nonetheless.

"I can do many things Perseus. If you so desired you could regain your childhood where it left off, you could simply have the family you always wanted and so much more."

I'd had it all wrong. This whole time I'd thought we were so different. I was the scar, the mistake that was made, the one just trying to get their family back, and he was the monster, the murderer. But he was after the same thing as I was.

Perseus turned back, looking small and vulnerable once more.

"You could?"

Kronos nodded.

"No…" Perseus protested feebly, "Joining you. It's not right. I'm not bad. I don't want to hurt people… I just want to…"

"Survive." Kronos finished "Perseus, you feel loyalty for gods and allies who have had their backs to you until they decided it was time to end you. All you have ever wished was to just have your family, to be happy and safe. Wishes can come true if you are willing to work for them."

The monsters were getting nearer, the streets trembled as they grew closer.

"But I don't want to be bad!" Perseus' anger and fear flared in defense as he tried to buy time, torn.

Kronos just shrugged and started walking away. "The choice is up to you boy. If you join me there will be blood, but you will survive, and you will finally have what you long for. If you stay loyal to the gods, then you'll die in a matter of seconds once the monsters arrive."

When Perseus still hesitated, Kronos pushed a little harder, waving a hand and causing a golden crack to wrench open the air nearby, a portal of blindingly golden sand ripping into existence.

"I am afraid this is a time sensitive opportunity, the game is already afoot and there remains much to be done. Chose, and chose now, there are no second chances."

Perseus' face scrunched up and he tugged at his hair, eyes snapping between the portal and the river, trying to form words as the monsters charged down the alley almost upon them. Kronos turned away and walked the last few feet towards the portal, the golden sand spiraling out to caress his mechanical form, and vanished as though he was never there in the first place, the fractured air slowly starting to swallow itself, shrinking at an alarming rate.

The monsters cheered and bellowed as they finally got to the street, rushing towards the river that Perseus was only a few feet from, stock still. At the very last possible second, there was a blue blur and the boy shot away from the river and threw himself at the portal.

The golden light flashed as he entered, and then there was nothing but empty air. My hero was gone.

Perseus had made his choice.

I didn't know what to do as everything that had just happened washed over me, barely noticing how the landscape and its inhabitants faded, the water from the river slowly rising and rising. It wasn't until I was choking and spluttering on it that I started to panic, jumping back to reality, trying to paddle to the surface only to get dragged down deeper into the dark abyss.

My eyes shot open and I gasped for air, only for a long, slobbery tongue to slide in and then wipe itself all over my face. I freaked out, unable to sit up, slapping around and pulling at the shadows, only for my sloppy attacker to travel with me, their bulk weighing me down as they kept licking my face.

"O'Leary! Get off!" I shouted, trying to push her heavy face away.

The dog stopped, tilting their head to look at me, before giving me a final, parting lick and heaving her bulk up, meandering back into her usual corner.

I groaned, wiping the drool off my face and shirt. Hellhound drool never came out, I'd probably stink for the rest of eternity.

I fell back to the floor, putting my hands over my face and wincing as my head throbbed from where I had fallen. Stupid dreams. Stupid Perseus. Why did he have to be everywhere? I couldn't even sleep nowadays without him haunting me.

And why did he have to be so relatable? I couldn't even call him an it anymore. It was hard to even call him a bad guy. I definitely couldn't call him a good guy, not after everything he had done; not just to me, but to everyone. But still… how was he good? How had he stayed with Kronos so long and come out the way he was now? Just being around him, listening to him made me want to give up on trying to hold back. Damn it Jackson, why did you pick me?

"Ugh… screw my life."

Maybe I just needed a break, something to get my mind off you know who. Some fresh air, maybe a few fighting laps. I could try to hunt down some of my old Mythomagic cards. That used to make me feel better. At least, before Bianca died.

Damn it, already failing at taking a break.

I took a deep breath and called on the shadows, willing myself outside the 'home' Hazel and I shared. I stayed as quiet as I could as I approached, peering into the room where Marie usually slept. Hazel's mom was nowhere in sight, surprise, surprise. I hadn’t seen her since I ran away, and I wasn’t looking forward to a reunion. After a few more seconds of feeling around, I stole through the shadows back into my room.

I winced as the floorboards moaned under the sudden weight, taking a cautious look into the hall just to make sure Marie definitely wasn't here before going back into the hollow shell that was my room.

I'd moved almost everything I owned and cared about to my lair, all that was left here was an empty dresser and a dusty cot, along with some safeguarded memorabilia under the floor. I was still trying to remember which floorboard I had hidden my Mythomagic cards under- I’m sure it was the same one I kept my old Ouija Board in-when I felt the tug, and my eyes shot up, staring out into the darkness through my window.

Something was close. Scratch that, some _things_ were close. Powerful ones too. I could feel them slinking into town, their aura's hidden in the dark of the night as they circled around, searching.

I didn't even realize I had moved to the window, eyes searching into the distance, then moving onto the town. Bad things were about to happen tonight. I needed to go find Hazel and make sure she was safe. Whatever was out there, they were different from the monsters I felt around here, different even from the ones Luke and Perseus kept hunting.

A splash of gold caught my eye and my heart skipped a beat, the memory of Kronos springing to mind as I tried to get a clearer look. It was the blonde girl, the one Perseus kept sneaking off to meet. She was strolling down the street confidently, moving with that same distinct flowing, unnatural grace that my hero went with.

Something in my chest sparked, resentment starting to bubble up when I saw where she was going, her path taking her straight to Perseus' door, my anger overtaking the worry about the town's new visitors. Another piece of the puzzle I didn't have, walking in to talk to a hero she didn't deserve.

He was mine. My hero, my revenge, my Perseus, my Sea Prince. It was time to mark my territory and show who he belonged to.

I was sick and tired of this game, it was time to fight.

* * *

**Yeah, I know I might get some complaints about Percy giving in so easily to both finding out Luke betrayed him and the whole giving into Kronos thing, but at least for the last part think about the fact that even though he's been fixed up, he's still mentally been on the run for three months on the brink of death, his legendary will isn't exactly so legendary right now he's in survival and revenge mode. Also know this chapter sucks considering the wait you all went through, so apologies. Good Morning/Day/Night.**

**P.S. Is anyone interested in more horror ghost Percy/Nico stories? Thanks.**


	18. Knock, Knock

**Knock, Knock**

Frank POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, The Shoebox**

 **14**  days,  **1** hours, **19**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

My stomach was rumbling as I lay stretched out across the couch in the darkened apartment, or the Shoebox as Hazel affectionately kept referring to it as. It hurt to know that for her the name was ironic. I'd been to her 'home' more than once, and compared to the Shoebox, this place might as well have been the Taj Mahal.

At least now she had room, a place to call home that wasn't a decaying shack. Even if that space was shared with Piper and two random guys. Two random guys who were really warriors from a hidden magical community within our own, who had dragged us into that same community's war to annihilate life as we knew it and overthrow the gods of Olympus. And Rome.

It was a bit much to take in.

My muscles still burned with the same fire that my father, who it turned out was actually the Roman god of war, had pumped into me earlier to fight off the skeleton warriors trying to kill my friend and my crush.

Like I said, it was a lot to take in. It didn't help that Hazel and Piper didn't seem to have all the pieces to this either. So far, all I really understood was that Greek and Roman mythology were real (Go figure, right? The twelve-year-old in me was dying of excitement, thinking back to all my old Mythomagic cards and the endless possibilities of this new world), the Titan king Kronos was staging a hostile takeover of earth that somehow involved me and six other kids around town. The other boys, Perseus and Luke, were somehow supposed to stop him, and apparently had fallen into the sewer and were now hunting a scary monster.

"They should be back by now." Hazel murmured from the kitchen anxiously as she spun her already frizzy hair around and around her fingers.

Something sizzled out of sight, the smell of cooked vegetables and steak starting to drift as Piper responded with a "Yeah but they're going to be fine. Luke's smart when it counts, he isn't going down easy. And Percy, well…"

She went silent and Hazel glanced back, the two sharing an eye roll and a laugh.

"Maybe we should be worried."

Hazel moved over to Piper and out of my sight, the two starting to laugh again as dishes clanked. I should be up helping them, I really should. I feel like a pig for having them do all the work, but the thought of dinner…

I shuddered just thinking about food, even as my stomach churned and gave another ravenous growl. I never wanted to eat again, not after seeing what I'd become. I don't care if I was possessed or under a monster's influence, imagining any of it, the food, the need, and the helplessness as I watched monsters threaten my friends; it made me sick.

My fingers curled into fists around the couch cushion and I took a long breath, trying to get back on track. I definitely needed to think about something else right now. Like the warrior boys who were so, so late.

Thanks to my food craze I hadn't had a chance to meet them, but I had picked up a few things from what the girls had told me. Hazel seemed more taken with them than Piper. She was positive they were heroes and the 'cat's meow' (Man is she adorable when she talks like that) while Piper was still a bit wary.

I didn't really know what to think personally, although since it had come down to me, the human blob at the time, to save my friends lives, I wasn't so convinced they were doing their job right.

Guess I would have to find out when they showed up. If they showed up.

Music beat into existence, Haze and Pipes dancing into view, laughing and singing purposefully off key. I cracked a grin and rolled up, bouncing to the rhythm a little.

Hazel noticed me, her eyes shining as she bounded over and hauled me up, swinging me around as though we were all back on the dance floor, the three of us barely able to stop laughing the whole time. My two left feet got in the way a few times, I wasn't used to being this fast or bendy, but the girls just snorted when I stepped on their toes and forced me into an air guitar solo.

After a while we finally collapsed back onto the couch, panting for breath and giggling like idiots.

"We rock." Piper snickered, twisting around and throwing her legs over us.

"Too cool for school," Hazel smirked back, leaning her head on my shoulder.

I smiled awkwardly, mind drawing up a blank on anything cool to say, most my brain power focusing on the amazing girl who was using me as a pillow.

Luckily it didn't get noticed. Something started burning and Hazel pushed Piper's legs off her lap, chortling as the other girl struggled to keep her balance before flopping to the floor with an indignant yelp.

Hazel cackled while Piper swore revenge on her, shaking her fist in mock fury. I forgot how inseparable these two were. I guess since all this started I forgot a lot of things. It's good that it's finally starting to at least head back to normal, even if it was really only getting crazier. But it was an adventure, a true blue actual adventure, the kinds you can only read about in books or watch in the movies. Perhaps the trade-off for normal wasn't that bad.

"You two gonna keep lollygagging down there or do y'all want some grub?"

My chest groaned and Piper raised an eyebrow worriedly.

"Was that your stomach?"

I tried not to wince at the obvious concern oozing into her tone. I didn't want her to look at me like that, I didn't want to talk about this. In the end, I didn't have to, as the front door was unceremoniously flung open and a filthy Perseus and Luke tramped in, wide-eyed and reeking of rot and rancid fish.

"Is that steak? Did I mention I loved you all?" Luke demanded excitedly, visibly limping as he barreled towards the kitchen.

"Finally!" Hazel threw open her arms and pulled the dirty boy into a bone crushing hug, only for her to scrunch up her nose and shove the taller boy away "Gods what did you two do, roll around in a skunk pile?"

Luke shrugged absently, reaching around to make a grab at what Hazel had cooked up only to have his hand slapped away. The two started to bicker and complain, but I drowned them out for now. Magic was happening.

Perseus had emptied a water bottle on his head, but the water hadn't drizzled and slopped onto the floor. As I watched it rippled and frothed, discoloring as it scrubbed him clean. And then it spiraled back through the air, arcing in lazy circles and pooling back in the bottle.

The raven-haired boy shot me a wink and I realized that that last part of the trick had been for me.

"Sorry we're late," he explained, making an expert toss and shooting the bottle into the trash across the room "Somebody had to be a showboat and turned our monster into a collapsing singularity. How you feeling by the way Frankie, you look great!"

I didn't have a chance to reply, Luke spun around scowling at his partner. "Hey don't blame this one on me, whose genius idea was it to throw us into the septic tanks?"

"The genius who was trying not to die." Perseus countered dryly.

Luke blew a raspberry, grinning triumphantly when it elicited a giggle from Piper.

"Whatever." Perseus sulked, falling face first over the arm of the couch beside me.

"What happened?" Piper propped herself on her elbows and waited expectantly for the new story of their sewer spectacular.

"You take over story time Perce, apparently I have to shower if I don't want to starve." Luke shot Hazel a weary pouting look, but she tapped her foot expectantly and he stalked off towards the restroom. He stopped in the doorway, leaning on the frame and leering out charmingly with a, "Anyone care to join me? I don't bite too much, but if you drop the soap its game time."

I couldn't help but notice that Piper actually blushed a bit while Perseus booed him and chucked a pillow at the blonde's head. Luke slammed the door before it could make contact, the shrug evident in his voice as he called out "Your loss."

"Git," Perseus mumbled under his breath, burying his head back into the couch.

Hazel marched out with paper plates piled high with juicy looking steak covered in some kind of apple rub, corn, and mashed potatoes. I accepted mine with a grateful smile, but never touched it, staring down at my gracious helping.

Don't eat, don't eat don't eat.

"We have steak? Sheesh Haze, how much do I owe you for this, you didn't have to go out and get all this stuff."

Hazel gave a shrug, scooching into the spot next to me. "It was all there in the fridge already."

"The gods work in mysterious, delicious ways. Thanks anyways, nothing's better than some good chow after getting mauled by a few oversized beasties" He managed around a mouthful.

Huh. So far, they were not what I'd been expecting at all. When I thought of two warriors sent by the gods to save the planet, I didn't exactly think of a bad boy Casanova wannabe and a skater boy version of Leo. They seemed wrong for the job, but for right now, I guess they were all we had.

"Hurry up and spill, what was the monster?" Piper ordered, prodding him with her foot.

"Yeah come on Percy, what happened after-" Hazel's jaw abruptly dropped in horror "Oh my gods I dropped you guys down a fifty-foot hole! I am so sorry, were you alright? I was just trying to help I didn't know-"

"Haze, _Hazel_! It's totally cool. Besides I was kind of the one who blew everything up in the first place. We probably never would have found our mark if it hadn't been for our fiasco, so kudos to us both. Nice bit of Mist on your end though, I don't think even Thalia could pull off some of your tricks."

Hazel glowed with relief and pride while Piper gave Perseus another impatient prod.

"Oi, fish boy! Storytime come on, we've been stuck here waiting all day."

Piper seemed a bit bipolar about all this. Half of the time she couldn't seem to get enough, looking envious as she explained where Perseus and Luke had gone, the other half she tried to block it all out, pretending that nothing had changed and shied away from Hazel's stories about monsters and quests.

If it hadn't been for that blush Luke elicited from her earlier I would've thought she was as wary as I was of them.

"Yeah, what did happen Perseus?" I offered, curiosity getting the better of me.

The boy visibly flinched as I said his name, giving me an uncomfortable smile. "Percy, please. Perseus is so official, and Percy's way cooler. That work for you Frankie?"

"Frank." I corrected with a nod.

Official had nothing to do with it if that flinch counted for anything. He really was a sort of weird Leo. What was his story anyway?

_**What do you expect from a filthy traitor?** _

I blinked as Mars' voice echoed in the back of my head. Filthy traitor? What? Percy rubbed a dark metallic band on around his wrist before launching into an animated tale of how he and Luke had hunted down Charybdis, fighting off Polyphemus along the way and how they had been forced to make a fast escape after sending the beast to Tartarus had started off a magical chain reaction.

I brooded most of the time, alternating between disbelief and wonder as I wrapped my head around my brand-new world.

"Who got the new power?" Hazel popped.

New power? Percy's face fell a bit and he glared towards the restroom door. "He did, and he's been an arrogant douche ever since it started manifesting."

"What is it?"

The door opened, a wave of steam rolling out along with Luke, wrapped in nothing but a towel around his athletic frame. He wasn't even close to my type but I still looked way, feeling uncomfortable as a new pressure started building up south of my freshly chiseled abs.

"My ears are burning, who's dreaming about this?" Luke winked, waving a hand over his chest.

Percy glowered, only to suddenly smile slyly and wave his fingers. The blonde swore under his breath as the steam still in the air suddenly condensed and splashed down on his head. Only he didn't get wet. The water drained off him the same way it had pooled around Percy, then fell to the floor.

Luke composed himself and smirked lecherously back at Percy. "Sorry babe, you can't touch this now. Although maybe if you ask real nice I'll think about it."

"Wait so he can't get wet? That's it?" Piper asked in confusion, eyes following Luke as he salvaged what was left of dinner and started scarfing.

"Without getting really technical and annoying? Yeah totally." Percy confirmed "He got some of Charybdis' immunity to water. If it's not from Charybdis' domain, other users' powers and people like me can't affect him."

"At least he can still shower." Hazel gave the blonde a crooked smile as he started to retort, but I wasn't listening anymore.

_**Trust me, there are no people like you out there, sea scum.** _

I frowned and shook my head, trying to get the ringing of Mars' voice out of my ears. Was this going to start being a thing now, having a war god give commentary on my life? This was going to be hell on earth.

 _ **Can it jumbo, I'm looking out for you,**_ Mars snapped, his fiery presence searing itself into my consciousness, _**Ares may have voted for him, but the little child murderer hasn't been good for anything so far.**_

"Child murderer?" I sat up straight, heart skipping a beat.

The conversation died, all eyes turning to me with various looks of confusion and surprise. Only… Something else flashed behind Percy's eyes. Panic and fear zipped by before it was all gone, carefully guarded in his darkening gaze.

"Child what now?" Luke raised an eyebrow.

Hazel and Piper gave me disturbed looks, still puzzled and concerned. "Child murderer? Uh, Frank…" Hazel sat up, her plate slipping off her lap unnoticed.

Great now everybody thought I was weird because I had to blurt that out. Fantastic. Percy stayed deathly quiet, his eyes never straying from my own.

_**Oh good, he doesn't like remembering what he is, does he? Move over kiddo, I want to have a little fun.** _

I didn't have time to think about what my dad was saying. The next thing I knew it was as though someone had cut off whatever connection my brain had with my body. I watched through my own eyes as someone else made my body move for me, the others gasping and scooting back as my arms were thrown over the edge of the couch and my face rearranged itself into a lazy grin, gaze burning with red hot flames.

"Frank your eyes." Piper kept on scooting away, reaching towards her steak knife while Luke did the same, his hand already tapping the blade, cautiously waiting. Hazel stared at me, seemingly frozen in place.

" **Aren't you all a sight for sore eyes? Damn our side takes in all the riff raff, doesn't it?** " It felt wrong to have Mars' voice coming out of my mouth.

"Ares?" Luke asked.

I felt myself scowl and deadpan, ignoring the blasphemer for now in favor of Hazel: " **Come on kid, apart from my oaf of a son you're Rome's only rep in this suicide squad. Hell of an example you're setting for the greatest nation of all time. What do you think your daddy would say if he knew? Then again judging from your cousin I think he's used to disappointment."**

Hazel, I'm sorry! I'm not in control, somebody help! I didn't know what to do as I sat a prisoner in my own mind, helpless and lost. Hazel clenched her fists, opening her mouth to retort, but Mars was faster. He waved my arm and her voice died in her mouth, her lips moving in desperate anger but no sound coming.

"Mars."

I felt dizzy from the way my eyes snapped over to Percy, zeroing in on my true target. My new muscles burned and sweat rolled off me in barrels, godly emotions twisting me around at the sight of him. Memories of a thousand and one battles pulsed through me, blood washing over everything and claiming it for Mars.

"Let him go," Percy ordered calmly, drawing Mars focus away from the others entirely.

I felt myself grin and I threw open my arms in mock excitement. " **Perseus! What a surprise! Now we can get the real party started. I bet the ol' Demon of Westover Hall has a few good tricks."**

Mars glanced around the room to take in reactions, eyes lingering on Hazel who looked shocked, eyes wide as dinner plates as she stared at Percy, mouthing Westover Hall. Westover Hall? Why did that sound so familiar?

" **Sheesh, what a bunch of wet blankets. You had a victory, boring and insignificant as it was. Time to celebrate, get out the wine, do some pillaging! Trust me, you all could learn from Percy here. This whole tamed, funny guy shtick is just a new part of the act, there's a party animal under there."**

"Mars-"

" **Come on tiger, cards on the table. How many of your own kind have you killed? A hundred? A thousand? Should we count luring that poor girl out to the woods with her brother to be hunted by Medusa?"** Now everyone was staring at Percy, the fact that I was possessed even leaving my mind as the boy in question stared quietly back, expression blank. " **Nah, you've got way too many to remember without adding one more murder. So much slaughter, do you even remember how many died, all the blood you've got on your hands? All the pain and death you brought as the Titans Wrath? Scum prisoners like you always seem to forget it's hard to-"**

"Shut up and stay out of his head Mars!" Percy was still calm as ever, but something cracked in his voice, layered as it was with that sweet need and persuasion that Piper's had when she talked me out of eating.

A second later the red-hot presence had exited my mind and I was back in control, with nothing but a dark chuckle and triumphant snort from Mars as he left. He'd got what he wanted. We all stayed silent for a long time while Percy leaned back, eyes empty as he avoided our gazes.

"What the hell was all of that?" Luke finally asked, breaking the tension.

Percy took a deep breath, closing his eyes before turning back to all of us, trying and failing to keep up a smile.

"That was Mars. Doesn't matter if he's Greek or Roman he always has a bone to pick with me. Sorry you got caught up in the middle of it, and none of you need to worry about being possessed either. It only worked with Frank because Mars did such a dramatic change to his-"

"You know that's not what I meant." Luke snapped.

Percy looked at each of us, taking in Piper, still gripping the steak knife defensively, Luke glaring him down, and me teetering on the edge of the couch with a lost and confused looking Hazel.

"Of course, I know what you meant." Percy shot back, drawing a knee up to his chest, his other foot tapping anxiously "I told you my crime, what did you expect?"

"I don't know, you tell me _child murderer_."

"What's going on?" Piper demanded, now blatantly pointing the knife at him

"Percy…" Hazel whispered, speaking up for the first time.

He took another deep breath, searching for the right words as he rubbed that same metal band on his arm. What was that Mars had called him? Let's see, a demon, murderer, and, wait that was it!

"That thing on your arm. It's like a handcuff, isn't it?" I glanced over at Luke's wrist, where a similar band had been latched on "You two are like convicts."

No wonder they didn't seem like heroes, they probably weren't. Mars had been looking out for me, I had to get us out of here now. My mind buzzed as over a dozen techniques from all kinds of martial arts and ancient strategies showed me how to do it, and I slowly started to push Hazel towards the end of the couch, keeping my eyes on Percy.

"You're prisoners?" Piper didn't seem to know where to look now, the knife flashing between Percy and Luke.

"Let me explain." Percy started.

Luke let out an exasperated snort. "You didn't tell them, did you?"

Percy frowned over at his partner. "I was getting to that part, it didn't matter at the time I was-"

"Playing pretend and now you got caught red handed. Gods do I have to do everything myself?"

"I think we should go, this isn't right," I said, helping Hazel up and tugging her over towards Piper, ready to defend the three of us at a second's notice. My armor and weapon were at the other end of the couch by Percy but if the three of us worked together I was positive we could get out of here in one piece.

Piper hopped up, waving her knife dangerously, looking hurt and worried. Percy tried to stand up but she flashed the knife at him, making his frown grow as he slowly sat back down.

"See this is all your fault," Luke went on, waving at us dramatically "I'm tired of you making everything sunshine and rainbows dude. Everybody calm down and let's talk through this."

I wasn't for that idea at all, not one bit. I wasn't even involved yet and there were too many secrets. I wasn't going to let my friends get hurt, and I don't think I could protect them with these two around.

"Come on guys, let's get out of here, we can go to my house." Piper offered, starting to slowly back towards the front door.

"Guys stop, let us explain," Luke drawled in annoyance.

As if. But before I knew it Hazel had walked out of position and sat herself down squarely on the opposite side of the couch as Percy.

"Hazel!" Piper hissed, motioning wildly for her to come back.

I gave her a pleading look, but Hazel's poker face was on and turned towards the boys.

"Alright then. Start explaining." After a moment, she looked up at us and pointed down to the floor "Sit down already. Everything was dandy five minutes ago, this doesn't change anything."

"Hazel, shouldn't we talk about this?"

Hazel crossed her arms unfazed. "They've saved our skins a dozen and one times. If they want to explain, I'll listen, and so will you."

Piper and I both desperately wanted to protest, but Hazel meant business. She didn't need any of Piper's fancy CharmSpeak or whatever it was called to make us do what she wanted. We slowly sank down to the ground, still ready to bolt at the drop of a hat.

"I'm waiting so come on. Some things have been accused and I don't know if I believe them, but I do know that things aren't making sense. So, start talking."

Percy and Luke exchanged a long glance, Percy giving him a pleading glance only for him to sit back in his chair. "You didn't tell them, not my problem. I'm only here to make sure they get all the pieces this time."

The raven boy gave a huff.

"Okay. I can take care of this. So…" He scratched the back of his head, avoiding Hazel "Where do you want me to start?"

"Are you two heroes? Are you really here to stop the Titans and save us?"

He gave her an exaggerated nod. "Yes, we really are heroes. Well, we're heroes in that we are here to save you and keep you guy safe from-"

Luke cleared his throat. "Crap I see where you went wrong already. Look, we are here to stop Kronos and to do that we have to keep you safe, you know the spiel. To us, it's more along the lines of community service than hero work."

Community service huh? That's the best they could come up with? At least it matched up with the prison manacles and part of what Mars had been going on about. It was almost believable when you thought about it.

"That sounds an awful lot like you admitting that your criminals." Piper was keen to add.

Percy seemed to squirm a little, trying to add a twist "Not exactly criminals."

At a look from Luke, he gave in, deflating a bit and falling back to the couch giving us a speedy rundown of "Fine criminals. The gods have children they want to give another chance and so they put us on ice until a chance comes along, we do the quest and if we live then we're redeemed."

"Stop sugar coating it," Luke demanded before turning back to us "You see, the gods are manipulative, greedy, glory seeking bastards. Now part of that means when a kid screws up big time, they see a foolproof chance to grab some glory and get a little power. When we do inevitably screw up, they kill us and throw us in the Hall of the Fallen before-"

"Wait they kill you? You're dead?" Piper asked wide eyed.

Hazel shook her head "You're lying. I told you guys when we practiced I could feel when people were alive and when they… weren't. And you guys definitely are."

"Not exactly princess. I'll get to that in a second, but yeah, the whole process only works when the demigod's godly parent does them in personally. Haven't you seen this?" Luke twisted around and held up his left arm, patting his still bare ribs.

The three of us frowned, seeing nothing but regular skin, nothing but pure sinew and muscle.

Percy cleared his throat "Mist, remember?"

"Right, damn forgot about that." Luke started to massage the spot sensitively as he explained "After they do you in they use a little magic to make you forget about it and stop remembering that your own dad or mom butchered you. Ah, here we go."

I stared in horror as the skin he had been massaging slowly started to discolor, revealing a long thin line cutting straight in, likely all the way to the heart. I couldn't help but start to buy into their story a little now, the gods were always a little crazy when I imagined them. But still…

"You think I would pretend about this? Trust me, no one asks to be chosen as a Fallen, you don't want to be like this." Luke said, quickly starting to massage the area again, sighing in relief when it went back to normal.

"I asked," Percy admitted quietly.

Luke gave him a withering look. "No, you didn't. Now to answer your question, the godly parent offs you and yes, you are very much dead. But thanks to a little magic, guess what? You're stuck alive, as the undead. Nothing really different except that if you stray from where you're supposed to go, you keel over and die horribly. The only way to not be undead anymore is for you to get chosen for a Moirai Trial."

Never in all my games or research had I heard of anything called a Moirai Trial, but I could imagine plenty of myths branching off from something akin to that.

"Basically, the gods come up with some chore that will probably get their favorites killed or end the world and send in the fuck ups because we're expendable. We win almost every time though because yeah, we're screw-ups, but like hell do we want to die. They choose a single sucker to go out there and do the job, and if they succeed then it acts like a sort of magical bargain between the gods and the screw-up, and they get their life back."

"Wait, a single sucker? But there are two of you?" Hazel kind of seemed to be missing the point as she looked between the pair.

"Yeah, one sucker. This is the first time there's ever been two, and frankly-"

"No, it's not." Percy interrupted.

The blonde shot him an impatient look "Shut up, yes it is. Where was I?"

"It's the first Greek dual Moirai Trial, but not the first Roman. They've been going on since the beginning, started off with Romulus and Remus."

Romulus and Remus were on a trial? That didn't really add up to some of the stories I'd heard. What happened to the wolf and all that stuff about a river and the cities on the top of the hill?

"Didn't Romulus kill Remus?"

Percy shot me a sour look "Yeah. Yeah, he did. And that's the thing about dual trials. The stakes are raised, but the prize is still the same, and there's only enough for one person to come back."

A few seconds ticked by quietly. "So that means," Piper didn't seem to know where to look again.

"That even if all this is true and you two really do have to save the world, in the end, one of you has to die?" I finished for her.

Luke and Percy purposely stayed facing away from each other as they nodded. I couldn't blame them. Who would want to look at their partner who just helped them save the world and realize that one of us still has to die?

No one talked for a long time, an uncomfortable tension starting to settle. There were still questions that needed answers, but after that little revelation, nobody seemed to want to ask them.

I finally started to ball rolling again with a lame one. "So, uh, those bands. Are they cuffs?"

"More like shock collars."

Luke pushed himself up looking worried. "Really? How do you know?"

Percy rubbed his manacle again, nodding grimly "Remember when I saved your butt at the Andromeda Spa? I guess I got a tad too close to the town line, my whole arm went numb when I went around to sneak in through the window."

Luke grimaced, giving his own manacle a wary poke.

"That had to be fun." I tried to imagine what that would have felt like, at the same time reminding myself to ask Hazel later why they had been rescuing Luke from the spa. Did monsters take mud baths and get facial scrubs?

Piper snapped, drawing our attention back to her as she finally asked the question of the hour. "I get all of this, I mean it makes sense. But that doesn't explain what Mars meant when he called you a child murderer. What did you two do to end up here?"

Hazel sat a little straighter, seeming on edge as she popped her own question of "And what was that about Westover Hall?"

But Percy stayed quiet now, giving Luke a pleading look. Luke gave a dramatic sigh before nodding back to a thoroughly relieved Percy.

"Well as for myself, I'm the Lightning Thief. I snagged Zeus' Master Bolt right from under that hairy nose of his and survived out in the wild for months. If it hadn't been for dad buying off one of my informants I would never have gotten caught and right now I'd be on a nice beach."

"You stole a lightning bolt?"

Luke shook his head, an old smugness starting to come over him. "Not just any lightning bolt kiddo, I stole _the_ lightning bolt. I took away Gramps bite, for months all he could do was bark with his little thunder tantrums."

More squirming from Percy's end and that was that Luke's turn was over. Now to hear the story everyone really wanted to hear. He seemed to realize his time was up and he scratched the back of his head again, whatever was left of his smile slipping away.

"What about you Percy? What did you do?"

He gave a long hum, closing his eyes and stalling as long as he could. "I'm the kid he framed for stealing the Master Bolt. I was hunted around the country by the gods, the monsters, even the mortals. No one would listen to me, it was all shoot first, ask questions later. Most of them didn't even care about the bolt, they finally had a reason to take me out without risking my dad freaking out on them. I was dying, Luke was still out of the picture, and so when he showed up-"

"He?" I regretted the question a little as he seemed to curl up into himself even more, but I already had an idea of who it was, and I didn't like where that would lead.

"Kronos."

Hazel gasped in shock, Piper's grip on the knife hardened, and I couldn't help but inch away. He had joined the big bad that was trying to take over the world now? How were we supposed to trust him now, how were we supposed to trust either of them? I definitely wasn't going to start putting my life in their hands, the three of us would have to figure out our own way to take things on.

"You were just like them?" Piper accused with narrowed eyes "You were just like the monsters that keep trying to kill us?"

"If I'm being honest, they're nothing compared to the monster I used to be." He had both legs up to his chest now, lost as he rocked back and forth, bangs and shadows hiding his expression from the rest of us.

How was that supposed to comfort us in the slightest? Knowing that he was worse than all the things out there? But he knew that. If you're trying to win someone over you're not going to admit you're a monster, you'd try to play it down. Something nagged at the corner of my mind and I remembered the way I'd first thought of him.

Skater boy Leo. Quirky and weird and probably more than a little insane, but in the end a good guy. He wasn't trying to sell us some preachy talk about how he had been forced into it, he put all his cards on the table. He knew what he'd done wrong. What had he said earlier? He'd asked to be made a Fallen?

And as quickly as I'd hated him and wanted to get us all away from here as fast as possible, I was back on the fence teetering dangerously both way.

"And did you really kill… did you actually…" Hazel didn't seem to be able to finish that sentence. Looking at the boy even I had a tough time piecing it together. That he was a killer.

"I did a lot of things. That was one of them. I was with Kronos for a few years. The last year I worked as a double agent, but then there was…" He started to turn to Hazel, his mouth already forming the We of Westover only to go quietly "…There was a problem. A big problem. After a while, I couldn't handle it anymore, and so I managed to get back in contact with my dad and here I am."

The room erupted in sound, with Piper demanding to know what the problem was, Luke, trying to get Percy to elaborate on what 'a lot of things' meant, and Hazel trying to be heard above the others and ask about Westover Hall. The raven-haired boy took the verbal beating, knowing he deserved every word they flung.

I still wasn't sure where I should be. That answer still left too many questions, I didn't want to trust either of them, but somehow it all made sense. Everything the girls had explained meant that they were really trying to save us. Piper wasn't whoring herself out anymore, and apart from a weird comment about betting earlier Hazel wasn't a deranged gambler as well.

But they still had left us all to get attacked by the skeletons. No, they hadn't, they'd fallen into a pit beneath the city. And I guess if they hadn't done that I would never have been able to break my Bond, my chance to prove myself and earn a second chance would have evaporated.

And that's when it hit me.

"Everybody shut up!" I shouted, stomping to my feet.

Insults and demands died in their throats, Luke suddenly looking uncomfortable, reminding me how intimidating I actually was now thanks to Mars.

"You two," I pointed to Luke and Percy "Could you give us a minute?"

A few seconds seemed to drag by before they both slowly got up and walked away into the bedroom, Percy never looking back as he closed the door behind him. I waited until I could hear what sounded like Luke interrogating Percy again before I went back to the girls.

Piper went first. "We need to get out now, they won't come after us. I know them… I mean I don't think they'll follow."

I shook my head, trying to think up a good argument. I'd been the one who started all this, and as good as it was that the truth was out in the open, the damage was bad. How to fix this?

"Maybe she's right Frank," Hazel whispered, gazing emptily towards the door.

"Exactly. I mean they've been helping but they don't need us around. We can make sure people stay safe and away from them, we can make sure they don't hurt anyone again."

"No. We need to stay here and work with them."

Piper looked at me as though I'd just grown another head, and considering the day we'd just had, I wouldn't be surprised if I had.

When she finally seemed to recover, it was on. "Stay here? Are you kidding me, you've practically been trying to get us out of this house ever since they showed up, if it hadn't been for Hazel we wouldn't be here! Didn't you hear them, we need to-"

"Yeah, I did hear them. Did you listen to what they were saying?"

Piper glared back at me not understanding. Hazel sat back, fiddling with my armor and shield as her frown grew.

"Yeah, they did some serious stuff, but what if that's why we're here? Sure, they have those stupid shock bands or whatever they want to call them, but suppose that we're like parole officers for them?" No, that matched up too much to what Piper had suggested earlier "Scratch that. The point is, you two said we're part of the mission, right?"

Reluctantly they both nodded.

"And you guys mentioned that the apartment keeps getting bigger, we keep getting more beds and rooms? It's because the seven of us that they're saving are supposed to be here, we're here to keep them going and help reform them. If we just sit back and treat them like they are criminals that's all there ever going to be, and everything's going to fall apart. That's the whole point of the trial. It's their second chance."

Hazel looked up at me, something like hope glowing dimly in her eyes while Piper anxiously chewed her lip.

"But… I mean… What if something happens? What if they try and hurt us?"

"They won't. I know it. I'm with Frank."

I grinned thankfully and started working on Pipes.

"The three of us will stick together and watch each other's backs, Hazel's right we'll be fine. And they haven't changed. They're still the same guys they were earlier today, now we just know how they ended up here. Nothing's changed."

That was a blatant lie. I didn't even believe that last part, but I needed her to believe it. Because I was positive that it really was our job to keep them on track. They deserved a chance to make things better, the same way I had. Everyone did, and if Piper was like this they would never be okay in her mind.

She wavered and Hazel took over, giving her a reassuring smile. Piper sighed, looking between us for a chance at escape before steeling herself back up and smiling back.

"You're right. Nothing's changed. This'll all blow over. No more secrets though, that has to be a thing. Even if it's to protect us. I mean when Mars…" Piper seemed to realize that I had been possessed, completely blowing over the fact that she had been terrified for her life only a moment before.

I breathed a sigh of relief and shouted: "We're done now!"

The bedroom door opened and the two peered out, not sure what to expect.

"We're staying."

Luke shrugged nonchalantly, but Percy broke out into a full on beaming smile, the weight of the world seeming to evaporate from his shoulders.

"But we have demands." Piper elaborated as they came out "No more secrets, no lying, we know everything together, got it?"

Luke shrugged again. "Sure, whatever."

Percy, on the other hand, looked a bit worried. "Definitively. It's just well… Right now, Luke and I know a whole lot more than you guys do, no offense. What's old info and secrets to you are things we've already figured out."

"Speak for yourself Titans Wrath," Luke muttered, still looking a little miffed. I guess even they had their own secrets from each other. Not that I could really do anything there, that was their own problem.

"Shut up. The point is, maybe it's better if you ask what you what you want to know. We'll do our best to keep you updated, if we leave anything out, ask. It's hard to keep up sometimes. That work for you?"

"You've got a deal." I offered a hand, which Percy gladly shook.

"Thanks, Frank."

I smiled. I wasn't just doing this for him. Second chances were good and all, but there was a world to save and now that things had calmed down we could get back to it.

"Well now that that's all settled, I've got some questions." I started to get everybody back down, "So what exactly is happening? How are we supposed to save the world?"

The story was a lot bigger than Hazel and Piper had explained. Luke and Percy took turns, going back in depth about Bonds and Links and Monsters, a prophecy that Rachel had sent him, they showed us the various files with everyone's names on it, explained what the gods were, the difference between the Romans and Greeks (Luke had been the one to ask that surprisingly).

Things had actually managed to calm down, somehow completely plummeting away from the breaking point and going back to plain excitement and adventure.

"My turn!" Piper propped herself up, pointing to Percy "Do you know that blonde girl? I saw you two talking to each other."

"Oh yeah, Annabeth I saw you two together too," Hazel added.

Even Luke nodded, waiting expectantly.

"Well actually," Percy began, only for there to be a knock at the front door. His grin got wider as he hopped up and strode over "Love your timing babe. That's a fantastic question right now Pipes."

We all stared in confusion as Percy threw open the door, only to be tackled in a hug, a pair of arms wrapping around his neck.

"Sorry, I'm late Seaweed Brain, got caught up working on Pride. Did I miss much?"

And then Annabeth Chase walked in hand in hand with Percy, giving us all a wink "Pleased to meet you all, Percy's told me so much about you. I can't wait to get started."

* * *

**Here you all go, not my best when it comes to confrontation and tension but hope you all enjoyed. Anybody any questions, comments, or anything? If you do, great, ask, comment, and review away! Thanks to everyone for reading and I will try and have the next chapter up within the week, so make sure to check back!**


	19. Old Friends

 

 

 

**Old Friends**

Hazel POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, The Shoebox**

**14**  days,  **0** hours, **1**  minute until Kronos Rises to Power

Annabeth Chase smiled nonchalantly around, seemingly oblivious to the bomb she had just dropped on us. Well, I mean it wasn't really a bomb. If anything, it made perfect sense. But even though we'd figured out why we all kept seeing them together, a dozen more questions had instantly taken its place.

How did they know each other, why were they holding hands, what had she meant when she said she was taking care of Pride, why had Percy told her all about us, and why were they _still_ holding hands?

Luke, as always, found the most eloquent way to ask the questions on everyone's mind; "What the fuck?"

"No swearing." Percy instantly scolded, giving Annabeth an I-told-you-so look. The blonde shook her head, still smiling patiently.

"Um…" Frank didn't seem to know where to start, his earlier calm and seriousness lost by the girl's sudden appearance.

Annabeth Chase. What did I know about her? She was one of the town's newer residents. I wasn't positive when exactly she popped up, but by then things had definitely started going downhill. Almost everyone had seen her, but talking to her was impossible, and gossip told no real stories. She just seemed to appear at certain spots around town, never lingering longer than she had to. And looking at her now… well, the only thing I could really tell was that she moved the same way Percy did.

"I apologize about this, I imagine it's quite a shock for you all." Annabeth stepped forward, finally letting go of Percy for the first time since she'd entered "I'm afraid that's more than a tad my fault. You see, keeping my distance allowed me to remain behind the scenes and finish my research and recon while you all captured the attention of Kronos and his cronies. I convinced Percy that it was the only way. If one of you had deduced my identity the probability of premature exposure to myself was way too high to risk."

"So, you two have been in cahoots while we've been out cruising for a bruising?"

Annabeth gave me a confirming nod before sending a playful glare towards Percy. "Of course, when I told him the plan and said to make a scene and be loud I forgot the fact that he's a total Seaweed Brain, who keeps nearly killing the world."

"Oh, come on that only happened once! Why do you have to bring it up every time we talk?" Percy pouted.

Piper had a question of her own, asking something about the club, but Luke decided to blow his top before she had the chance.

"So, you've had a secret agent working behind our backs doing gods knows what while we're out there risking our asses doing all the work? What about all the times we needed a babysitter for this lot?" He jabbed a thumb in our direction.

That wasn't why Luke was mad. Or at least, it sort of was. I knew that shine in his eyes from personal experience, and the question he really wanted answered stayed boiling just under the surface. Luke was hurt.

Percy frowned, pulling up one of the kitchen chairs and sitting down. A moment later, Annabeth was gracefully poised in his lap, his arm wrapped protectively around her waist. I couldn't help exchanging a quick glance with Piper. An instant conversation later, we nodded in agreement, eager and ready for details.

Piper locked onto Luke, hopping over and whispering into his ear. The boy froze up and shut his mouth, his rant dying away as he had to force himself to sit down. Part one; Piper Charmspeaks Luke so he'll be a good boy and shut up long enough for us to find out what's been going on.

Part two; "So how do you two know each other?" I leaned forward, and crossed my hands, pointing between the two of them and trying to come off as casual.

Frank frowned, starting to ask about the espionage and research only for Piper to send him a warning grin. There were more important things to find out, much more important things. Annabeth gave us a knowing look, turning to Percy.

"Have you told them about us working on the farm?"

Farm? What farm, there was a farm involved in all this now? Did it have monster cows and mutant chickens or what?

"Yeah it's cool we talked about it."

Frank made a point of shaking his head. "Um… no, you didn't. What farm are we talking about here?"

Perce shook his head "Nah Frank, the farm is our code for working for Kronos, he's the titan for harvests. Annie was being careful. She didn't want to drop any more bombs than she had to." He seemed taken aback as Piper suddenly scooted away from them.

"What you're saying is," She started hesitantly, using the still immobilized and still very ticked off Luke as a shield "She worked for Kronos too?"

I couldn't exactly blame her, I'd been a bit nervous earlier too. Annabeth gave a sad, lost nod and Percy smiled supportively, squeezing her side. One question down, twenty more taking its place.

"Wait so-" Frank started.

"Perhaps it would do more if we just explained?" Annabeth cut Frank off thoughtfully.

He grinned sheepishly and shuffled his feet a little. Gosh, he was adorable when he was like this. Frank had a way of being nervously cute but still coming off as strong and confident. It was just like Leo, our quirky little imp.

At least he had been before the monsters got to him… One more person I desperately had to rescue. Leo and Nico. I wouldn't let them get hurt, not if I could help it.

It took a while to realize that Annabeth had actually been talking the whole time and I blanched, desperately trying to tune back in and catch up.

"-and that's how I managed to throw myself right into Kronos' clutches. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't regret my decisions, but back then that kind of life was what I craved."

Shoot I needed to catch up! No, I'd ask Piper later, Annabeth was still going.

"I was there for years before Percy arrived. I'd advanced through the ranks until I was at the top, only for this guy," At this, she elbowed Percy "To show up and get me demoted."

"She made my life a hell on Earth. And I literally held up the sky for her one time." A second passed before, almost simultaneously, they reached up and tugged at small patches of their hair that seemed far lighter than the rest. The moment went on, a silent, unbroken pact flashing through them before it ended and she went on.

"Turns out it was indubitably the best thing Seaweed Brain possibly could have done for me. If he hadn't brought me back to reality I never would have grown a conscience and realized just how far I'd fallen. Eventually, I finally made the right choice and I defied Kronos. The plan was for the both of us to escape, if it had worked they never would have caught us. But… I took too long, and Percy sacrificed himself to buy me time."

That sounded like Percy alright. They were both in the same boat then, rejects who'd been scooped up by a manipulative tyrant it scared me to think about his power now. Percy was dangerous sure, but honestly, it was almost impossible to think of him actually hurting other people, especially _murdering_ children. He was just too happy and fun loving.

To think that someone could mold a person like Percy into a sociopathic killer so quickly sent shivers down my spine. And if he ever got his hands on Nico…

"How old are you then?" I blinked a few times, gawking openly at Frank "Percy said he was on ice which is why he's still eighteen, but how come you look so young?"

"Frank‽" Piper and I deadpanned.

It took him another second before his eyes went wide and he backtracked. "I mean, not that you look old or anything, you just look really young for having a few years on you… Um… that's not what I meant either."

Annabeth sat back, perfectly content to let Frank keep digging himself deeper. Frank eventually wore himself out, giving us all desperate looks as he slowly shrunk a few inches in shame, an admirable show since he was taller than all of us now. Annabeth decided to let him off the hook with a wink.

"Don't worry, I'm flattered. You've heard of deals with the devil? During my enslavement, I bargained for immortality, and when I couldn't keep my end of the deal, he cursed me to age far slower than I should have."

"Wait, so you wanted to live longer, you failed, and he basically gave you what you wanted?"

Annabeth's smile faded a bit. "It was a curse. Our deal was that if I couldn't do what he asked then I would owe him more years of service. An old geezer isn't exactly the most useful soldier, so he made sure I wouldn't turn into one anytime soon."

It was genuinely hard to picture Annabeth as old, she only looked a year older than Percy himself. Sure she had a hip librarian model sort of look, but imagining graying hair and wrinkles didn't seem to click. Maybe if I threw in Percy to the image. Wait.

"So…" I hesitated, not sure how to ask this without making it obvious I was snooping. In the end, I couldn't think of anything beyond "Are you two are going steady?"

The room waited with baited breath, Luke silently narrowing his eyes curiously. Annabeth and Percy turned to each other, Annabeth folding her knees under the seat as they pondered. We all nearly had heart attacks as they burst out laughing, nearly falling out of their seats. Annabeth was almost crying, failing to form words as she tried to point back and forth between the two of them.

When they finally managed to pull themselves together she managed to wheeze. "That's priceless. What do you think Perce, you wanna get back together?"

Percy made a face. "I'm pretty sure that's incest or something. Your mom would kill me if we started going out. Hell, can you imagine what she'd do if we started knocking boots?"

They started busting up laughing again before almost instantly sobering up. "No, we're not dating." Annabeth confided, only to pull Percy's arm around her and entwine their fingers. "We tried that whole thing for a while, it's just-"

She glanced back to Percy trying to find the right words.

"We're like siblings. I love her to death and back, just dating doesn't work for us, it'd be weird." Percy shrugged.

"Sorry for asking, you two just seem a bit, well, physical."

They frowned, glancing down at each other and seeming surprised when they saw where they were.

"Oh this" Annabeth murmured, visibly shifting away from Percy, "The two of us went through a lot together."

"Like, a lot a lot. A really bad lot." Percy confirmed, his eyes going hollow only for him to squeeze Annabeth's hand and snap out of it. "And when we were with Kronos we heard things, we saw things, and we did things no one should _ever_ have to do."

Percy seemed to look through us as he added "We lost so many friends. We got lost. Old habits die hard. We keep each other anchored. When life was literally one huge massacre jam party, we were all we had left."

That was almost sweet in a really traumatic way. I somehow managed to ignore my mind as it raced, thinking about all the horrific things that they might have done when they were fighting for the other side.

Frank cleared his throat, glancing between Piper and Hazel then steering this back to what he thought was most important.

"Back to the whole recon thing, what exactly were you looking into? Are you Pride?"

"Wait, I still have a question, you can go in a second." Piper objected, finally rejoining the conversation.

We all confirmed later that CharmSpeak victims can undo the persuasive powers they were under if the caster slips up and breaks the spell. Right now though all anyone really knew that Luke had leapt to his feet as soon as that second was up.

Piper yelped as he whirled on her, advancing threateningly with murder in his eyes.

" _Never_ tell me to shut up again. I am not your puppet." He spat.

Piper shrunk back at first, then frowned and stood up straight.

"I'm sorry about that. But I know you, and you would've been screaming your head off instead of letting them explain."

"You're damn right I would have been screaming my fucking head off!" Luke snapped "He's already risking _my_ life all the time with his screw-ups and now he's got some secret skank girlfriend going behind our backs whose been telling him to make a damn show and put us in more _fucking_ danger? What! The! Fuck!?"

With each punctuation, he had stomped over to Percy, glaring down at him with righteous fury. Annabeth gave Percy a warning look as she slipped off his lap, trying to keep him calm even as he balled up his fists, glaring daggers right back at Luke.

"I get that you're angry-" she began.

"You got that right, I'm pissed as hell you little cunt!" He screamed in her face.

Annabeth, to her credit, looked unfazed, even a little unimpressed. Then again she had worked for Kronos. After all the things she must have seen, Luke just couldn't seem that scary anymore. We were all trying to find a way to stop this and defuse Luke, but Percy had had enough.

Loyalty was the weak link here, and he wasn't the type to just sit back and let a friend be insulted. It wasn't about them needing to be defended, it was just the way he was. Percy was pushing Luke away the next second, cutting him off from Annabeth, eyes wild and stormy.

"Shut up and take that back!" He ordered as that danger inside him came a little too close to the surface. The pipes in the walls rattled and whined with his temper and I think I felt the ground shiver.

"Make me kiddo. Like I said, you can't touch this." Luke pounded his chest, leaning in even closer to the furious son of Poseidon.

It was like watching a cocky college boy lean over a shark tank, arm out and daring the hungry sharks to bite. Any other time I would have said Percy would never hurt Luke, but after all the tension and fighting tonight, I wasn't so sure.

"Everybody calm down!" I held up my hands, taking slow steps towards them.

Frank and Piper finally sprang into action, following my lead and cautiously moving to pull them apart. Annabeth led Percy away looking exasperated and muttering under her breath about a hero complex. In the meantime, I stood between the fighting pair, hoping to keep space as Frank and Piper gently pulled Luke away.

Things were going just fine. Percy was calming down and starting to apologize to Luke, albeit reluctantly, and I was relaxing as Luke crossed his arms silently. But this was Luke we were talking about, and I should have counted on him trying to get the last word.

"Whatever. You're just being a pain in the ass because you know I'm right, and that means you're still my bitch."

I never saw him move. I didn't even catch the trademark flash of blue blitz across the room, or the fist that collided with the side of Luke's jaw. All I saw was the end result with Piper and Frank stumbling back as Luke slammed to the floor with an oomph.

Annabeth shot forward, catching Percy before he could move in for another round.

"Percy Jackson!" She cursed, pushing him away with surprising strength, her own strange and fluid motions almost matching Percy's move for move as she worked on relaxing him.

Frank intercepted Luke as he got up and tried charging the distracted girl, somehow pulling him into a headlock. Maybe Mars visiting and putting things in Frank's head hadn't all been bad. No. Mars totally sucked.

"Let me at him!" Luke demanded, squirming out of Frank's hold and making it another foot closer before Frank managed to catch him again, barely holding on.

"Piper do something!" I shouted, running over to try and help Frank.

We were all practically useless here. The whole night we'd either been gawking with our mouths wide enough for things to crawl in and nest or trying to run for the hills like yellow bellied cowards. No more though. If we were going to be the heroes of the story we'd have to work at this.

I latched onto Luke, avoiding his wild blows and frenzy, looping my arms around his chest and coiling up where he didn't have a clear shot at me. It wasn't the best anchor job, but short of using the butt of my spatha to knock some sense into him, it was about as good as I could get.

"Both of you stop fighting and get out!" Piper screamed, voice cracking as it dripped with CharmSpeak.

We all fell still as her magic washed over us. I didn't even really register how stupid the command was until both boys were already gone. The door stayed open as they were swallowed up by the night, gone in opposite directions.

"Seriously Piper? Get out?" I demanded, coming back to my senses.

I ran to the door, glancing around for any sign of the boys. There was nothing but the gloom of night. Everyone was in their homes, still too shell-shocked after being freed, scared to risk looking or coming outdoors.

I slammed it shut and whirled back around. At least they weren't fighting anymore. But they were unarmed- well, Luke was unarmed at least, unless he somehow still had that steak knife. And there were monsters roaming out there now, it wasn't safe.

"I panicked, I didn't know how to make them stop!" Piper protested, wringing her hair.

I sighed exasperatedly, pushing past Frank and Annabeth and shoving into the armory. "Piper make up your mind. Either you're a total airhead or you're the kickass girl I know who can smirk her way out of anything."

"Don't make me out to be the bad guy here! I'm sorry that I don't know what to do when people start freaking out and fighting. In case you didn't notice I've had my head screwed up by a bunch of freaking soul suckers!"

"Hey, do you guys think we could-" Frank tried to step in the same way I had with Luke, only to fail miserably.

Adorable crush or not, this was serious.

"No!" We shouted in unison.

I finished suiting up and tossed Piper her dagger and a breastplate, turning to Frank. "Suit up, we need to go after them. And you." I turned to Annabeth.

I felt some of my anger slip away, unsure what to say to her. I wasn't used to having to take the reins, and with a girl who'd just popped up and caused all these problems, I didn't know whether I should be screaming at her or easing up a little.

Annabeth just patted her own dagger and gave me a salute. "I'll go track down Percy, he should be easy to track. Can you manage to find Luke and keep them safe?"

I nodded instantly, strapping my spatha to my belt. I was born for this. The tone of Annabeth's voice stirred something in me, and even though this was a simple run to go get Luke back and keep him safe, I felt as though I was leading a daring escapade into the unknown.

"Ready?" I spun to my team eyeing them up and down.

They nodded, Frank with confidence, Piper with narrowed eyes gritted teeth. Our fight there wasn't over just yet. That was a fight for another time though.

"Time to move out." I led the way out of the apartment, noting that our blonde newbie was long gone already, on the hunt for Percy.

Annabeth hadn't given it a second though when she asked if I was ready for this. She saw me step up and was willing to let me prove myself. Could I do that, was I positive? Yes. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, pulling in my gut and summoning up the Mist.

Time to find Luke and stop being a sideline hero.

**Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Luke POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, 2nd Labor Street**

**13** days, **23** hours, **47** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Those stupid, ungrateful, conniving, good for nothing, mongrel bastards! I'd kill them all for this, I swear on Styx they'd pay. I was out walking to god knows where now, my legs still caught up in Piper's damn spell.

The little bitch. All of them were just liars and pretenders. After everything I'd done to try and help them, to save their useless hides, this was how they repaid me. The three of them should be praising me for even letting them stick around for as long as I had.

All they were good for now was monster bait, they were dead weight. And Percy- My knuckles cracked and my teeth groaned as I tensed up. This was one of the few times I wouldn't be surprised if I literally started fuming out my ears.

I was done with all these fucking secrets. We needed to trust each other enough to get by these things. If I had known about Annabeth our whole screwed up quest might have actually been a tiny bit easier. And the fact that she had been playing him and telling him to deliberately be an idiot and get Kronos to watch him?

I growled and punched a lamppost as I stomped by, the surface instantly burning over with gold. Why did everything have to be so messed up and complicated? Part of me didn't want to think. If I actually cared enough to try and sort through all this I wouldn't be pissed off anymore, and right now being angry felt good.

Being angry made me forget that Piper wasn't the only one using me as a puppet. The gods were still pulling my strings, probably up there laughing while they sat back on their asses and let us do all their dirty work.

I hated them, I hated them all. They didn't care about us, they made us into monsters, and then they punished us because they hadn't done anything to stop it. We were just playthings, toys that could be broken and replaced.

I didn't want to be played with anymore, I was tired of being broken. The gods didn't deserve me risking my life to save them. I could die, they couldn't. Why weren't they getting off their high and mighty thrones and trying to rescue their own butts?

Stupid Percy. He knew everything I did and more. He knew the gods were cruel and callous, he knew they didn't care. But he was fighting for them, he acted as though he was joining a good cause that this whole Redemption scam really mattered.

It just didn't make sense. How, after everything I'd done to him, with all the gods had put him through, and all the torture and pain Kronos had driven him to, could he possibly be such a pain in the ass goodie two shoes?

We should just let the gods lose, and go start somewhere else. Screw the trial, it was nothing but a loaded crap game anyways. We could start over, get rid of all this stupid stuff. No more past, no more secrets, no more hate. I didn't want to hate him anymore, I just wanted my friend back.

I slowed to a stop, huffing and puffing furiously. I tried to get mad again, I tried to scream and shout, to defy the gods and laugh in their faces. But it didn't change how I felt. I wanted to go back to the way things were.

And just like that, my anger dried up and smoked out. There was the problem, nothing more to be angry with. Jaded jealousy that was what was wrong. Did I honestly care that he had murdered a bunch of people? No, something like that didn't matter. I'd lost track of the people I'd silenced and cut out of my life over the years.

Knowing I'd changed from it though was what hurt. And knowing that he hadn't, that even though he was edgy and messed up, he was still that bright-eyed cheery as fuck kid, killed me. I wanted that, I wanted to be okay again.

I wanted him. And then that Chase girl had shown up, and I found out that she had him. That they helped each other. No wonder I'd been so ticked off. She'd stolen my job, my cure. Percy was what made me feel better, he was my quick fix.

I slowly fell to my knees, leaning against the side of a nearby storefront, the front glass pane and foundation bleeding patches of gold from my touch. Damn it. I didn't want to be angry anymore. I didn't want to be used, I didn't want any more of this stupid pain.

Was it really so bad to just want things to be back the way they had been? Was it bad to imagine the world where I never stole that pompous jackasses lightning bolt and the two of us stayed on the run forever?

I was the problem. It was always me. My head hissed and echoed with memories and I growled out loud, hunching up. I just wanted this to be over. I wanted my life back, I wanted what the world had stolen from me. What I let it steal from me. What I practically gave it.

The hissing persisted, and my scar burned. I let the growl die in my throat, holding my breath as a faded remnant of poison coursed through my mind, the reflection of too many eyes to count glittering in my closed eyes.

The hissing wasn't in my head. It had found me. They had arrived. Our Banes. Maybe Mars had planned for this, stirring us up so we'd fight and get thrown out when they arrived. We should have been ready, we should have been waiting.

But it was too late for that. I could feel it now, my Bane, creeping overhead, the hissing of its many forked tongues overwhelming me as it tasted the air. For a brief moment, my thoughts turned to Percy. What if he was already being hunted by his own old friend? Was it waiting in the dark for him as well, biding its time as it readied itself for the final kill?

No time to think about that now. Mine was already here. I gradually opened my eyes and looked up to the starry sky. The stores darkened awning blocked anything from real sight, but with the light of the streetlamps I could make out several long necks all peering from the top of the building, none of them far enough to peek over the awning.

I softly patted myself down, frowning when all I could find was the steak knife. I thought for a moment before grabbing the blade and slowly pulling it along my palm, careful not to nick myself.

The steel discolored and turned gold, the dull shine flashing in the dark. It might not work as well now, but it was better than trying to attack my monster with useless mortal steel. Power wise I didn't have much luck either. I still wasn't used to using Pluto's magic from Hazel, and patches of gold wouldn't help here.

A glance around confirmed that escape wasn't a real option. It may not be fast but it had range. The closest street was too far to risk, and this awning would only protect me from discovery for so long. It knew just as well where I was. With a deep breath, I stood up and stalked out into the light.

The hissing stopped abruptly as I strolled out, but an attack didn't come. Then again it was my Bane after all. Maybe it knew I wasn't going to run. I stopped in the middle of the street, drawing myself around and turning around lazily.

"Hello beastie." I drawled, twirling my knife while they Hydra stared down at me.

It had been a while since I'd fought it. The last time had been right before I got picked up by dad. The poor thing must have got lonely waiting for me to come back. It probably missed its favorite chew toy. At least that's the impression I got looking at its many diamond-shaped heads, their razor-toothed maws wide.

Each head swayed slowly back and forth, eyes glowing lightly in the night lights, most of its bulk still draped over the top of the store.

Our silent stare-off didn't last much longer. Instinct took over a smidgen of a second before it turned into a ripple of motion, three of its nine heads taking a bite at me all at once. I leaped straight at it, not even bothering to try and avoid the attack, managing to use one of the heads as a platform to jump off of, making the slower two smack themselves against the asphalt.

I didn't have time to celebrate as I landed, the other heads were already moving in for their turn, the Hydra's bulk creeping off the store front. I jumped and ducked around as it got closer. I'd fought this battle more times than I could remember now, and without a proper sword or torch, the only sure thing to do was be fast and nimble.

It was a dance before I knew it. One step forward, three back, leapfrog to the left, limbo, kick out and lift here; it went on and on. One wrong move and the snapping teeth would be on me in an instant. I forced myself to a screeching halt as a head belched a stream of burning poison at me, the bile missing me and splattering to the ground with a steaming crackle as it burnt its way down.

I missed the poison but another head bumped me, throwing me out of my rhythm and this time I wasn't so lucky, one of those razor filled jaws grazing my arm as it whipped past.

I bit my lip hard, ignoring the agonizing pain and the smell of burning flesh, diving in and out now. I wasn't going to win this fight, I didn't have any powers that could help me out here. Not from my useless dad, not from Pluto or Midas, not from Charybdis or from… Mars.

Jumbo had shown a bunch of new tricks after his trip down godly steroid lane, maybe I could pull something from him. War tricks had to have something on a Hydra, anything that could at least get me some ground. Right now, I was practically in a cage of swirling heads and falling out of the pattern.

Pulling on the power didn't work. It wasn't the same as it was with the other tricks I'd picked up from breaking bonds. I needed feeling, the same kind of feeling I'd got when I managed to move metals. Feelings like anger.

And then it hit me. I didn't know what I was really doing, but somehow, I was somersaulting around, the heads looping around me. Spinning and arcing through the air, all I could do was smirk as my body did its own thing, drawing the Hydra into my trap.

With a final leap, I threw myself through two lengths of neck that had been bunched and looped together, another head following me through. As the Hydra spun on me, the necks tightened, knotting together and sealing them together.

I let out a whoop and hopped back out of its reach as it tried to get lose, its other six heads either trying to come after me or angrily hissing and screeching at the three still trapped. Of course, life still loves to screw me though. Which is why something suddenly shot out of the distance, a manhole cover getting enough momentum to cleave through the heads I had only just trapped.

"Luke!"

The Hydra bellowed in pain while I groaned, turning exasperatedly to see Frank, Piper, and Hazel running towards me triumphantly.

"Here!" Hazel tossed me my sword and a shield, smiling proudly and guarding my flank while the other two took similar positions "We're here to help!"

"Which side?" I retorted, pointing back to my old friend.

Even as we watched the three heads suddenly popped back into place, followed by three more.

"Oh." Was all Hazel had to say, mouth holding the o shape as her sword drooped a little.

Frank took control as the Hydra started advancing, the new heads joyfully hissing and cackling, ready to join the fight.

"It's a Hydra, don't aim for the heads, everybody stick together and back up. Anyone got some fire?"

I deadpanned and pushed him aside as a head shot past, nearly taking his head off, making sure to stab its snout as it recoiled.

"Definitely! I've got tons of fire on me, I was just letting it beat me up to be polite! Figured once I'd worn it down and started chopping its heads I'd finish it off then pop over for some tea and crumpets!"

Frank ignored me, helping hold the line as the Hydra advanced, bashing an overly eager head away with his shield and shouting a warning to Hazel. "Alright then, aim for the chest and get at the heart!"

That was about all the order and planning we got. The next second several of its heads snapped forward, one lagging behind and using its long neck as a battering ram, toppling Frank and Piper to the ground while Hazel and I dove out of the way.

We rolled away, Hazel slashing at a head and trying to cover her downed party as I ran forward. Aim for the heart huh? I'd tried that a few times, it almost never worked. All the times I'd met it I managed to outrun the overgrown reptile, had a blow torch handy, or somehow entirely crushed it to the point that there was no chance of revival.

Right now, the best plan for me was a large billboard sign across the street. If I could get it under that, it would collapse and kill it. That or give it a really bad night. I was up for both.

"Hey!" I waved my hands and flashed my sword, managing to draw most of its now twelve heads, the others still focused on my 'reinforcements'.

It started surging forward and I ran off, plotting my way up the building. It would follow me, it didn't care about the others. It was after me. Its heavy footfalls echoed through the streets, and I saw lights flicker on, the inhabitants of this hick town peering out, only to quickly close the curtains, probably praying they could un-see what they had seen, that it would go away.

If only.

The other idiots didn't catch on though. They banged their shields and bellowed, swiping at its back and tail as it chased after me on its stumpy legs. I was almost there when I heard Piper using her CharmSpeak. That couldn't work on this thing, it didn't have enough of a brain to follow real orders. Did it?

Turns out, it did. Or at least, mostly. The chase ended, and suddenly all twelve heads were striking out at the trio. I sword, running after it and onto the Hydra's back, only for a head to spin around, managing to keep me away with surprising speed.

With a lunge, the Hydra rushed forward, knocking Frank and Piper off their feet again, two heads bearing down on them. Hazel gave an angry cry, her sword dropping to the ground as her hands shot up to the sky.

The ground rumbled as the heads came in again, only for a wall of concrete to rise, blocking the downed heroes from the danger. At least for a second. Their rest only lasted a fraction of a second before they shot forward, the feeble wall cracking and fragmenting to the ground as it moved in for a kill.

At least, it almost did. At the very last possible second, there was an explosion of air and a hurricane like gale threw me off the Hydra's back and down the street, even shoving the beastie a few meters back.

My head was spinning as I pushed myself up, grabbing my sword and glaring blearily down the street, trying to make sense of what was happening. Had Hazel tried some new Mist trick?

No. Someone else had joined the party. A purple shirted Jason was hovering just above the ground, a small dust devil spinning around him as he spun a golden gladius. Hazel cheered and the two of them charged, managing to bat away the stunned beast.

Lightning sparked and the Hydra screamed, twisting and writhing in unusual angles while Hazel moved in, trying to get to the heart. A head managed to whack her away from the chest, only for the recovered Frank and Piper to move in from the opposite side while Jason flew around, hovering just out of reach and slashing whatever got close enough.

I stayed down, still watching as the other blonde, Annabeth, joined in the fight, coming in from a side alley. She analyzed the scene for a split second before leaping onto its back, repeatedly stabbing certain points with her knife.

Each stab earned her a distracted yelp from the beast as it twisted around and tried to catch her, but she was too good to get caught. Six heroes for a single Hydra? Had to be some kind of honor for a monster.

Then again, this beastie wasn't exactly one of the regulars, and it had its own tricks. Jason let out a surprised yelp as three of the heads started spitting streams of poison at him, forcing him to twist and spin through the air like a kite. The others caught a worse deal though as the poison came back down to earth splattering all over. That had to hurt.

And by the look of Hazel's face when a large splatter caught her arm it did. She cursed, dropping her sword and stumbled back. That was all the Hydra needed. She glanced up as its heads charged at her, too fast for the others to get, to close to try and defend with earth, metal, or Mist.

And then of course, one of our stragglers showed up. I never really saw where he came from, but out of the shadows between Hazel and the heads, the son of Hades suddenly came into existence, shoving Hazel aside and cleaving through one of the Hydra's jaws.

Talk about a party. I stayed down, watching the others fight my Bane, seeing them struggle and adapt, and slowly working as a team. If anything, I should stay out of this. If they all got involved that would save us trouble later. If all it took was a little monster attack to get these weirdos to come crawling out of the woodworks we should have done this a long time ago.

"What the hell are you doing?"

I winced, laying back down on the ground and staring upside down at Percy.

"Watching the show." I shrugged, remembering I was still trying to look angry with him.

"You're going to get them all killed! This is your problem, it's your Bane you git! Come on!"

He tried to force me to get up, but I played dumb and let myself be a wet noodle, resisting his attempts to get up. Frank huffed over, looking out of breath.

"Percy, thank goodness, we need some help!"

Percy let me drop and I swore as my head slammed back into the concrete. Well, that plan had worked out.

"No. In fact, all of you need to get out of here now, run fast. This is his problem, make him take care of it. Come on let's get you all out of here."

Frank gave an aggravated look, obviously not sure whether he could believe what he was hearing.

"Are you two kidding me? Are you just laying out over here trying to make somebody else do all the work? We're in serious trouble!"

Percy just shook his head, starting his tangent about getting me to do it all before his eyes zoomed in on the scene. I followed his gaze as he froze, finding Nico on the other end of his stare.

The boy was one of the most vicious fighters I'd ever seen, stabbing and rushing with reckless abandon, the shadows biting at his beck and call. But even for all his slaughter, one of the heads was circling around, ready for its first kill of the night.

"Nico!"

I have never seen Percy move so fast. The second wasn't even over and he had already magically appeared in front of the smaller boy. There was a deafening boom and an explosion of water, and I watched, jaw-dropping as the Hydra was launched into the air, flying over my head and coming back down with a crash to the ground.

Percy was on it in a second, Riptide glowing ominously in the darkness as he danced around the monster. It tried snapping at him, only for it to suddenly lose a head. I wanted to scream as the heads were cut off in the blink of an eye, the stumps already bulging and growing, ready for another round.

But Percy wasn't having any of that. That same dark, wrong feeling I'd gotten from him earlier today decided to come out and play as he threw out his arm, fingers gnarled and twisted, and suddenly the newly sprouting heads were having troubles. The freshly cut necks still oozed and bubbled as the nascent Hydra tried to regrow.

Veins all over the beast started pulsing grossly the whole beast, writhing seemingly in more pain then when Jason had shocked it. It flung itself to the ground as Percy's hand slowly started closing into a fist, the whole beast nothing a living seizure now.

Everyone watched in scared silence as he advanced, the Hydra's legs scratching desperately at the ground, its necks bulging grotesquely, bones cracking when it couldn't emerge. This wasn't right. This wasn't a good power, whatever it was.

It only got worse as Percy finally stood right in front of one of the decapitated necks, his own arm trembling now from concentration, closing his fist and he slamming it into the necks remains. The beast suddenly went still, before going wild, only it wasn't working. Nothing was bulging anymore, no more liquids dripped out from it.

If anything, it looked smaller now, the bloody stumps crusting and drying over. We all watched as the beast was dehydrated, drying up, until at last, with a loud poof, it vanished in a puff of golden dust.

No one seemed to know where to look when Percy turned around, still taken aback, in shock, or plain exhausted. Except for one. The same one who had all of Percy's attention as they lay on the ground from where he had pushed them during his rescue.

Nico and Percy stared back and forth, unmoving, unbreathing as they gazed into each other's eyes. Percy's face was a mask, unreadable to me, while Nico's own face changed too fast for me to understand. And then there was nothing to understand, as the boy melted into the shadows and out of sight.

"We did it!" Piper suddenly cheered, earning a startled look from everyone.

It took a while for that to sink in, but then everyone started cheering and moving in, the perverse wrong they had just seen vanished from their minds. But maybe they didn't know it was wrong. They didn't know what we could do, they didn't know what we shouldn't do.

No, the seemed happy, cheering and laughing, proud of their first real battle as a team, all talking at once and still buzzing from the adrenaline.

"That was pretty awesome," Frank confessed with a goofy smile.

Jason slapped his back with a big grin. "You got that right bud."

He moved his gaze onto Percy, completely ignoring me.

"I guess maybe it's you who could show me a thing or two around here. You go around fighting monsters all the time hero?"

Percy's emotionless façade vanished and he grinned coyly.

"Only when there's fun around. You seem like the fun-loving kind of guy, think you'd wanna stick around?"

My heart went cold and I frowned, even while Jason's own grin grew. "Count me in."

* * *

**And I did it within the week! Cut it pretty close, but there ya go! Apologies if the Hydra felt rushed, I thought it seemed like the only way to do things. Wondering what the heck Luke means by Banes? You'll have to keep reading. Muahahahahah! But seriously, please keep reading and enjoy!**

**Kudos if you get the farm and street thing!**


	20. The Deluded Depths

**Disclaimer; I do not own Percy Jackson or any of his friends**

* * *

 

**The Deluded Depths**

Percy POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Iliad Grocery Outlet**

 **13** days, **11** hours, **29** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Life had seriously changed over the last few hours. I don't know what I was expecting, especially when the clock was already starting to tick a bit too quickly towards doomsday. But it still took some getting used to. We had passed last night's test. Barely.

Luke and I had laid out most of our cards, revealed some secrets, and ruffled the team's feathers. I still wasn't sure if letting Annabeth in on things now of all times was the best idea (Annabeth had been against it so it probably was even worse than I thought) but at the very least I didn't have to be so alone in all this.

We'd had to limit out time together, only meeting at the club when we could disguise our presence, and it hadn't been nearly enough. After all the horrors we'd faced together, we were the only things that kept each other sane. But I'd lost my spark. All those hopes and dreams I'd saved up while I was in jail had died out. I was back in reality, back with all my mistakes and screw-ups. We really didn't have a chance left at all, did we?

And after the incident with Polyphemus, I'd freaked out. Honestly, I don't know how I kept my cool for the whole night, especially after-

I shook my head, trying to ignore the dull burn in my left eye. No. What was that trick Annabeth taught me to control this? Right, the stupid positive list.

#1 Everybody was still here, mostly happy, and most importantly alive. That covered all bases, right? Hazel was still our number one supporter, somehow still valiantly defending us, always ready for the adventure. Frank was with us; I was pretty sure of that. Then again, he seemed to be with us mostly because he didn't believe we could save the Shoebox, let alone save the town or the world without screwing it all up.

Piper was only here because she couldn't go back to the world she had known, the world where monsters didn't exist and ignorance was bliss. Hell, I'm pretty sure that's the only reason any demigod is here most of the time. But I think as soon as everything settled down and she can see the other side of this life, she'd come around.

I hope.

Then there were the new recruits, Jason and Annabeth, both more than eager and willing to help. Everybody was still here, sort of happy, and alive. That was definitely a positive.

#2 Kronos and his forces were leaving the town alone. Was that really a good thing though? If I were a megalomaniac, all-powerful robotic tick-tock whose entire plan rested on seven teenagers, I wouldn't risk keeping them outside in the open. I especially wouldn't have let Luke and I ever get close to them. And actually letting not just one, but three of those ridiculously important kids be freed? Not even thinkable.

So, if for some beyond psycho reason I did let all that happen, it meant I had an even crazier and far more sinister scheme going on in the background. I'd been with Kronos for too long, and it didn't matter how much I tried to repress it, I had seen in his head.

Literally too on more than one occasion. Daedalus had gone overboard when he tinkered Kronos form. It was like a clockwork orgy bomb had gone off inside, a beautiful monstrosity with the ability to hold the Titan King's essence. I could still remember the first 'betrayal' I'd witnessed after I was recruited.

It had been a stupid son of Ares (like father like son) who had tried to go turncoat and sell us out to the gods. Kronos didn't take kindly to treachery. As an "act of mercy," he had taken the boys sword hand and shoved it inside his chest. The sound of the boy's screams as Kronos' inner workings cracked and tore through skin and bone still lingers in the back of my head, a reminder of what's going to happen if I end up at Kronos' mercy.

Damn this is just a happy little rainbow filled train of thought, isn't it? The burn in my eye had turned into an itch, the feeling of sand scraping where it shouldn't. Come on, there had to be more positives out there, something to cling to.

Nico!

He was positive! Well... Kind of. He still hated me with a passion, I was pretty sure he wanted to murder me, and there was the fact he was stalking me right now. If the story wasn't so traumatic and all my fault, it'd honestly be adorable the way he kept skulking and glaring at me as though I didn't know he was watching. On the other hand, he was still alive, and mostly safe. And after last night I was sure that there was still a chance to work things out, slim as it probably was.

I'll count that on the gray side of positive. About time this stupid list gave back a little.

#3 The Hydra was out of the picture, which left only my Bane left to deal with. I knew he was around here somewhere, only he was much better at hiding than Nico was. I'd killed him more than enough times to feel when he was near. Banes were strange magic, some ancient and arcane curse between god, monster, and man.

They were actually the prime design that Kronos and the Telekhines had based the first versions of Bonding magic off of. What else had the power to steal the power of gods and give it to monsters? They were rare nowadays, although in the past they'd been much more common. Bellephron had the Chimera, Heracles had Ladon, Luke had the Hydra, and I, well, I better not think about him.

He had a good sense of when I do think about him, and I definitely didn't need him to hear me right now. Not that he would come of course. They never do when you're ready for them. Banes; the monsters we hate the most. Not just hate though. I had to study up on how they were made, and even I don't have all the details.

Long story short though? Being a demigod sucks. Say you're a five-year-old, running away with your mother, trying to get to safety while the scourge of Crete chases you. Say this monster kills the boys' mother in front of them and then attacks you. Something like that scars more than your body.

And then, say this boy manages to kill the soulless demon who killed the only parent I had left, binding the sadistic freak to my godly essence, making me his personal punching bag as long as we both shall live. It wouldn't end until I finally healed those scars or until he killed me. Asterion would never stop coming back, nothing would stop him, not until-

I jerked, the world spinning and going black and white as my perspective changed, hiding in the shadows down the streets as I watched myself slow to a halt, ancient and feral thoughts responding to a call I hadn't meant to send out.

"Percy?"

I blinked, clarity phasing me back into reality.

Hazel gave me a worried look, pulling me off to the side as nervous townsfolk shuffled down the sidewalk making sure to give us a wide berth.

I turned away, scanning the street behind me. I couldn't see him anywhere, but I felt him. The hair on the back of my neck was sticking straight up, and adrenaline was starting to jackhammer my heart, ready to start a fighting frenzy at a second's notice.

 _Not here._ I thought as loudly as possible. _Not now._

And then his presence was gone. I took a deep sigh of relief, relaxing and turning back to give Hazel a comforting smile.

"It's okay."

Hazel grinned and turned back around, leading the way to the corner drugstore. She had no idea how close she had just come to being a part of a massacre. But that was just another fun part of being a demigod, right? There was never going to be an end to the fighting, to the running, the death. We fight to survive, and if we get lucky, manage to do a little living and make it into our early twenties.

That's the life I get to look forward to. That's the life I'd damned Hazel too. Hazel, Piper, Frank, Nico, Bianca, and more, so many more.

"Stupid positive list," I muttered, slamming the door a little too hard behind me as Hazel pushed on.

She pulled out her phone, glancing over texts and requests before swinging back to me, "Okay Perce, I'll take care of the necessities, you grab all the junk food okay? Just make sure there's some variety, and nothing _blue_."

I pouted and trudged down the nearest aisle, mindlessly grabbing at everything sweet in sight. I guess this was another positive, or at least it was something. When we'd returned to the Shoebox last night, we'd received another godly makeover.

Everything (except for the entryway, which remained sea themed, thank you dad) had transformed into a quasi-military bunker. Our rooms had doubled, fully equipped with hard backed bunk beds with girls and boy's quarters on opposite sides. The bathroom was bigger now, more like a public bathroom with multiple stalls, and two showers, no tub (I seemed to be the only one disappointed at that for some reason).

The training room was even more deadly and robust than before. A full set of exercise equipment, an archery range, and a whole new extra wall of weapons just waiting for us as we had walked in. We even had an actual living room, with, wonder of wonders coming from Mars, a bookshelf. Granted almost all the books were about Ares and Mars propaganda with their favorite and most famous and infamous children, but still, it was a nice change of pace.

And then there was the kitchen, the main reason we had come out in the first place. Nothing had really changed, except for the fridge. All our food had been transformed into pre-mixed health bars, protein shakes, and full meal military rations.

The only really edible things were various blue candies and deserts that spontaneously appeared wedged in on the shelves every once and a while. I was the only one who actually ate them. The others complained about them smelling fishy (which meant I got them all to myself. Thanks again dad!). I was just a little spoiled, and it made me feel good. Like the world wasn't ending and I was just at some survival camp while my dad kept managing to send me little treats hidden around. Now that would be something. If only, right…?

Back to reality, after at least giving our new rations a chance for breakfast everyone was now up in arms, or hunched over toilets retching, demanding something actually edible and not healthy in the slightest. Hazel had volunteered as she was the only one who could actually cook without burning it to a crisp or leaving it deadlier than the monsters trying to kills us. And somewhere along the lines, I had been dragged out with her.

I was trying to decide which chips Luke would hate the most when I heard Hazel from the other side of the aisle. "What's my father like Percy?"

I shrugged, before realizing she couldn't see me and saying "I don't know, I've never actually met Pluto."

There were a few moments of silence, followed by a disappointed "Oh" from her side.

I kept quiet for a few seconds, knowing what I wanted to say but unsure if it would back me into a corner I didn't want to get trapped in. Because talking about her dad would get me to talk about her other dad's son. But she was going to learn the truth there already if last night hadn't already given it all away.

"From what I heard he's a fair guy. Likes things in order, expects the respect he deserves. Kind of like Hades. They're probably closer than that, though. Hades is always sulky and angry; he always gets a bad rep from the other gods. I don't think he deserves it. He's not my favorite god out there, not by a long shot, and I'm _definitely_ not his favorite nephew. But he really does care about us. Demigods, I mean. Especially his children."

There wasn't any sound from her, so I kept talking, even as the voice in the back of my head told me to shut up. "And trust me, Mars was wrong last night. Your dad would be proud of you for everything you've done, you don't have to sweat it."

I finally heard an acknowledged hum from her side. It didn't sound happy, or sad, or even interested. I bit my lip and scratched the back of my head. I didn't like this unknown territory. I hated being unsure of myself, having to be afraid that I might slip up and say or do something I shouldn't.

I missed being me. Immature, fun, loyal, the kid who always found a way to get to the happy ending. Too bad that side was gone forever.

"And what about your dad? What is the god of the sea like?"

I blinked, taken aback but happy for a change. "He's… he's my dad. At least he tries to be. I don't make it easy for him. Something's always there to get between us. But he doesn't let that stop him. When he heard I was alone he searched the world for me. But Luke got there first. And then Kronos."

I was glad for the aisle between us now. I didn't have to see her flinch away; I didn't have to see her remember that I was one of the monsters.

"When we finally met, I was, well… It was after I helped Annabeth escape. I wasn't in a good place. But he fixed me. He held on, no matter what I did, he didn't care about any of that. I was his son, and I needed him. That's what mattered."

I could remember it all clearly, the fleeting months I had stolen away from the dark side, hidden in the darkest depths of the ocean with Poseidon. If I really tried I could still remember the rage, the guilt, the fear leading up to my break. I had been so angry with him for forgiving me, for just letting me off the hook. I could never understand how he could do it. But he did.

"He's the best. That's why I went back to Kronos to be a double agent. I had to make it up to him. I had to prove to us both that I was worth it."

I'd never had to prove that to dad. He already knew I was, had even begged me not to go back, to stay in hiding and to stay safe. But I couldn't. Not after he had given me mercy.

"Things got better. I had a partner in everything, and suddenly it was all falling into place. It was like a dream come true. Me and my dad being heroes, saving lives and working towards the end."

"But he still made you a Fallen." She countered.

I didn't understand the probing tone in her voice; it was empty, just stating a simple fact. It wasn't like her, so distant.

"Yeah. Yeah, he did." I admitted.

I finally got to the end of the aisle, catching sight of Hazel as she paced away towards the register. I quietly handed her the goods, spinning Riptide across my palm and tugging at its cap.

"Why? How could you ask him to kill you after all that?"

Why?

Why…?

Because of _him_.

"I messed up. Kronos caught on. People died. I had to go, I just couldn't hold on after-"

"That'll be sixty-two seventy-five."

Hazel didn't respond, and after a few seconds, the girl behind the counter turned to me instead.

"Uh…. You take drachmas?" I offered, laughing as she gave me a weird look.

Hazel snapped back to life, slapping a hundred on the counter and walking away. "Keep the change."

The girl and I exchanged glances at her flat tone as I scooped up the groceries and went after her, silently trying to keep up. I didn't need to finish what had happened to me. She knew. Mars had made sure everyone knew. The Demon of Westover Hall was in their midst after all. Even the monsters had feared me that night, especially after I saw Bianca.

Or what was left of her. I can't count all the gods and goddesses I had prayed to that night after I found her, begging that we wouldn't find Nico, that he would be safe from all the death I had brought to him. Not that it seemed to have helped him that much. I mean, he had ended up here after all.

"Demon's an awfully strong term. What did you do at Westover to earn that name?"

The dread and anticipated knots that had been killing me for days, knowing she was going to eventually find out, loosened. But there were still more, knots for all my secrets, and even more for Nico. But no panic came when she finally did ask.

"Like I said. Kronos caught on, so I made a deal to save them; Nico and Bianca. But it backfired on me. He wanted to teach me a lesson and since breaking me didn't work, he decided to break them. Nico managed to get out. Bianca didn't. Kronos wasn't done. There were still all those people back in the orphanage to deal with. One hundred and thirty-nine people were there that night. I can still remember."

I wanted to shut up, I needed to shut up, but I couldn't stop, couldn't stop the memories creeping in my mind, couldn't stop the desperation and guilt leaking into my voice.

"I didn't realize what was going to happen, I didn't want to do it, but I didn't have a choice. It was too late and then there was blood, so much blood. I couldn't stop, he wouldn't let me. Gods-" My voice cracked, a sob trying to wrench itself free.

It was all there, every memory a punch straight to the gut. Men, women, children, mortal or monster; it hadn't mattered that night. They were all butchered. It had happened before, but that was it, the tipping point when the screams in my head became too much to bear. The pain of dying would never, no, could never compare to the sins crawling on my back.

I was Fallen. Who was I kidding? After everything I'd done, forced or willingly, there was no going back. It was all a lie, I just wanted to feel like I actually could change, that I could make up for what I'd done but it was too late, this one final right could never fix the damage. It was hopeless. Impossible. Inevit-

I actually gasped, seizing up, hands going limp and dropping the groceries as a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around me, pulling me into a tight, inescapable hug. My crazed emotions drained out as I looked down in shock and loss at Hazel.

When she let go, I finally got to see her face, a mask of tears, sadness, and- a smile? I didn't understand those golden eyes, so different from the overpowering orbs of the titan king.

"Wha-?" I tried to speak, but my voice cracked again.

Sure, I wasn't exactly in touch with my emotions anymore, but I was still pretty sure hugging wasn't the right response when the cold-blooded murderer who ruined your cousin's life and destroyed countless others is having an existential breakdown.

"I wish you'd told me before" She whispered "But we will fix it. You're on the right path Percy."

I was still at a loss for words as she took the groceries back and started on again, looking back with that same sad smile. "You coming Perce? You promised we'd train for real later, and this time, I know you're going down."

My mouth popped open and close like a fish out of water and I nodded dumbly. Hazel laughed and rolled her eyes, reaching back to tug my sleeve along behind her. There it was again. Forgiveness I didn't deserve.

We will fix it. You're on the right path Percy…

I just couldn't hold back the laugh and the smile that came up to my face. We could fix this. I could help make it better. And that's all I needed to know. Hazel laughed crazily as I scooped her up and threw her over my shoulders, sprinting and skipping around, while she laughed and called me psycho. I just went faster and made airplane sounds, sending her into a giggling fit while she smacked me with a loaf of wonder bread.

Maybe that crazy side of me wasn't so gone after all. Because my spark was back. This time, it would all be different. I just know it.

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Jason POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, The Shoebox, Armory**

 **13** days, **10** hours, **42** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Most kids grow up wanting to be a fireman, or an astronaut, or a ballerina. Then they grow up. Suddenly only one or two are left clinging to those dreams, hanging on for dear life. Most kids will quit and conform to whatever they can, they probably will end up mocking those other kids for being different.

I'm not most kids.

But I never dreamed of putting out fires or going into space. I had an older sister who loved to dress me up though, so being a ballerina turned out to be inevitable. I still haven't figured out where she keeps the evidence.

I dreamed of having food on the table. I dreamed of being able to move into a real apartment and get out of the shack we rented. I dreamed of standing up to the constant stream of men who used and abused my mom and tortured my sister. I dreamed of running away from the beatings and abuse.

Back when I was a kid, I dreamed about a lot of things. Then something happened that made me realize I didn't need to dream. Well, someone actually.

It was a bad night at home. Thalia was out begging for scraps to feed me, mom was drunk off her ass, and her newest boy toy was ticked off. I was bleeding on the floor in a pile of half empty beer bottles, there was so much shouting, and I was so scared.

Then the wolf came. It literally tore through the front door like it was made of paper, snarling and howling savagely. Mom had screamed and tripped over a bottle of liquor scrambling to escape.

Her boyfriend hadn't been so lucky. It was like a horror scene from Little Red Riding Hood; one second he was there, the next he was just about everywhere, pieces dripping from the walls and ceiling. Traumatic much? Totally.

It started towards mom, growling, and something took over me. Before I knew what I was doing, I was between my passed-out mother and the Big Bad Wolf.

Even after everything she'd done I still wanted to protect her back then. What else was I supposed to do? I remember telling it to go away and leave us alone. It stalked right up to me, those huge fangs inches from my face, still messy from mom's schmuck.

I'm not positive if I was a really, really brave for a seven-year-old, or really, really stupid. Either way, I kept yelling and shouting, probably crying. I'm pretty sure I threw a couple of broken bottles at it, but I don't even think it even noticed.

And then it licked my face, chuckling and said I had so much to learn before snapping me up by the back of my shirt and bounding out of the shack, taking me far, far away.

That was the first time I met Lupa, the ancient protector of Rome and all its children. It was like I was in all the cartoons and movies I watched on our neighbor's TV whenever I managed to peek through their windows.

In a single night, I somehow changed from a dead-end trash kid into an upcoming hero and protector. Lupa brought me to her pack, where other children, children who were really like me, ran with the wolves. We weren't just taught how to fight and survive out there; we were taught how to flourish, how to really live and to help others to follow in our footsteps. We were Romans, strong, wise, and ever watchful.

We often encountered dangers, namely the Titan King Saturn and his army, a constant threat to our gods and the world itself. We took him on head to head as many times as he came, and even took the fight to the Titans home and toppled his throne. It was epic, I mean when the twenty-foot-tall throne crashed down, the wolves all howled together as we cheered and pushed the remaining Titans.

As amazing as this new fantasy life was, the first couple years were really hard without Thalia. But I made my own family out here with Lupa, a girl named Reyna, and after a while, the patron goddess who had sent Lupa to me to begin with Juno. Pack became family, and then it didn't matter where we went because as long as they were there, it was home. When I finally did see my sister again, she was literally fighting Lupa.

It was something to behold; lightning bolts arced out from her as she took on our mother wolf, deflecting Lupa's indomitable strength with a terrifying shield and dancing away with practiced grace and lethality. To this day, I'm still sure my big sis could have taken her on if I hadn't tackled her in a hug.

With Juno and Lupa's permission, I showed Thalia my world, and then she stole me into hers. Romans weren't the only demigods out there. Another world I had no idea existed, full of Greeks and all new kinds of monsters, ideas, and lives. How could I resist?

I learned as much as I could from her. Greeks and Romans weren't that different, but they'd always been fighting, wars waging wherever the gods decided to touch down. If it hadn't been for the recent threat of Saturn/Kronos, they never would have stopped. It might have been a bit narcissistic, but I always pictured Thalia and I to be the poster children for peace among our nations. Brother and sister, fighting to bring our people together and start bringing real peace and prosperity to a never-ending war.

Thalia and I ran across the US back then, following adventure wherever it took us. Thanks to her I realized what I really needed to be, how a hero really had to act. Thalia had actually been on a mission to scout out enemy territory when she ran into us and stalled going back by taking me on raids against the enemy and helping turn the tides of battles.

But then the war was over, Saturn had retreated into hiding, and the Gods of both sides were rebuilding after their losses. It was time for her to go back to the Hunters of Dia- sorry Artemis, and after promising to find each other again, I decided it was time to take a page from the Greeks and get started rebuilding myself. All the training Lupa and Juno had given me helped me to work my way back home, saving mortals and demigods alike, and working towards finding something we all seemed to be dreaming of; a home.

Mine was always going to be where my family was. But seeing all these abandoned kids, all fighting to stay alive, on their own, some in even worse places than where I had started out… They needed a real place to go, someplace to be safe and really live.

That's when I found Odyssey Cove. Or more likely, when the cove found me. It was just a dream, something in my gut that tugged me here. A sleepy little town on the edge of nowhere and someplace, no monsters, a healthy supply of ignorant half-bloods, plenty of room to grow and build, and the calm and protection my new friends needed. I'd spent months slowly bringing them in, sending out flyers and leaving Mist messages like Thalia had taught me to tell the demigods about their new home. All were welcome, and I made sure they were all safe and sound at the end of the night.

I didn't push them; many were more willing to forget and deny the real world than I really liked, but I understood. It was a lot to take it, and not everybody was cut out for this kind of life. I was fine with just letting them be who they were and building out the town more and more. I knew there were other demigods like Thalia, Reyna, and I who would really appreciate this place, people who would understand the dream.

I'd come really close with Leo Valdez, a kid whose ADHD had ADHD. We'd been instant bros, always hanging out when we had a chance, tinkering and going on about magic and other worlds. I wanted to show him the real world, but he was just so…. Innocent. Yeah, he could take care of himself, the kid was a quick-thinking genius who could build a fully functional flamethrower out of scrap metal in seconds.

I didn't want him to though. For right now, it was enough that Leo was Leo, he didn't need to be anything more than the amazing best friend I had. And so I kept looking. One boy, Nico, had been an interesting addition to our sleepy town, a cousin of Hazel I think, and a son of Hades.

I had almost geeked out finding another demigod who really knew what was going on and had been fighting and training. But he had no interest in bridging the gap between Romans and Greeks or teaming up to protect the town or anything. He worried me, a loner on the edge, and I was never certain if he was going to jump or fall.

Poor kid. Hazel had admitted in confidence about what happened to him as a kid, something about a massacre at his school, claiming his sister's life and just about everyone else there. Talk about a fun origin story. I felt him watching me sometimes, something akin to curiosity always on his face. On those days, I made sure to act as normal as possible. Being raised by wolves made that a bit harder than it should have been, but I wanted him to see that he could relax and talk to me. I was a normal guy who happened to be able to fly and throw lightning bolts whenever the town was in danger, no biggie.

I am pretty positive that that's when it started. I was so focused on keeping the monsters out that and keeping a sense of normalcy around town I didn't even notice when the ones who had been hidden inside all along made their move. I never even realized the web they were making, constantly careful to keep me from stumbling onto their surprises as they backtracked and shuffled about behind my back.

When the trap snapped shut was when I finally looked around. How did I miss Half-Blood Swag popping up, or the Siren luring in townsfolk by the truckload? I had to have gone blind to miss the sudden takeover at the dump, where the very citadel of evil itself burned into existence, monsters pouring out of every nook and cranny.

I didn't even have a chance to fight back, there were too many of them, either in roaming heavily armored units or using crowds of mortals as shields. Saturn's forces practically walked about in broad daylight, flaunting their power, and there was nothing I could do. But they didn't do anything. Well, they were slowly sucking the life-force out of the club and there were remains of anyone foolish enough to get close enough to the dump alone, but it was a sort of quiet.

I tried gathering what demigods I could, but they were all under some kind of spell besides the Sirens, trapped in the web I'd led them into. Di Angelo emerged once in a blue moon, herding mind raped mortals back home, but that was about all the help I was going to get from him. He was done being torn between jumping or falling, throwing himself into something I didn't understand. I sent desperate messages to Lupa, Juno, and Thalia, begging them to come, to do something, but I doubted they would ever find them.

I couldn't risk leaving town for fear of what would happen. It's not like a single demigod could make much of a difference if the legions of Saturn decided they wanted to wipe out my little world in the blink of an eye, but at least I could try to do something.

The constant fear and paranoia nearly drove me psycho, but then an answer came from above. I was out on patrol when I spotted them, two meteors careening straight from heaven and locked onto the center of town.

Pathetic as is it, all I could really think was "Welp. Death by shooting star. That's a new one."

I just stared as they rocketed down, only to move at the last second and vanish into town. Was it some kind of plot by Saturn? Were the gods finally hearing my prayers and coming down to help? Had the alien invasion Leo predicted started?

Turns out it was secret option Two-Teen-Action-Heroes-Here-To-Help. The blonde was an obvious thief, shifty eyes and the cliché look of every 80's bad boy _ever_. Still, not to be underestimated, the confidence of his steps and the knife he had casually strapped in plain sight seemed as much a trap as they were for show. Experience rattled off him as he moved about the club, completely at ease even as he took in every little detail.

The ravenette was a different story. Something about him reminded me of Leo, only the exact opposite all at once. He had the same bubbly smile, constant movement, and laid back personality. Except, he moved to seamlessly, never a motion wasted, that grin tempered with tragedy, and his eyes spoke straight to me. When they raked over me for an instant, I knew I was looking at a whole other level of demigod.

It was the same look Reyna and Lupa had perfected, a wolf look. It was predatory, a glance that ripped you apart and analyzed you at every level, counting the ways it could kill or spare you. Those kinds of eyes told stories without their owners trying, even when they weren't trying. Those strange, beautiful sea green eyes were far more haunted than even Nico's. I saw misery, agony, joy, honor, and loyalty, swirling in there, testaments to wars won and battles fought, loss beyond all comprehension and determination that was out of this world.

This was a warrior. I had to meet him. I had no idea why they were here or where they had come from, but my gut told me this was a boy who wanted what I did, who would understand everything I was trying to create, maybe even more.

I followed them out of the club, tailing them as they hunted a monster back to the garbage dump, catching brief bits of back and forth. I did a lot of tailing after that and realized they were the answers to my prayers.

Two demigods sent from the gods themselves to address the rising threat, helping to take back Odyssey Cove. If I hadn't been so relieved I honestly would have been just a little jealous of the thief. He obviously had some history with the warrior, Percy, something I wished I had. I wanted that, so much it honestly kind of took over.

I made a total tool out of myself that first time, flirting obnoxiously when I had the chance to get up and personal with him. Chalk that one up to all the Empousa pheromones stinking up the room. I wanted to make another move to make up for that painful douchebag introduction, but then the other blonde caught my eye, Annabeth. I was certain she was a demigod, definitely the child of a war god or goddess. The girl appeared wherever there was trouble, right before monster strikes, tagging along out of sight of supply shipments, and most unnerving of all, watching our new arrivals like a hawk.

I managed to get between them one night at the club as she started moving in on Percy, tugging him away with some random conversation. There had been so much I wanted to say, but after a few minutes, my mind was gone. Years of training had helped build up enough of an immunity to stay free of the full effects of the Sirens song, but I checked in on the hostages too often and the rhythm had got enough of a hold on me to finally trap me.

Everything faded into the background for a while after that, but then, wonder of wonders, Percy came to the rescue. Watching him beat the Siren at its own game just proved that he was exactly what I was looking for. I would have laid everything out right there, told him everything, but he vanished.

And then the town woke up, and I held my breath, ready for a massacre. Without their lure to keep the town flocked like sheep where they wanted, what was Saturn going to do? The answer was nothing. The day went by and I never set down, flying from the junkyard, the forest, Nico's 'secret' barn, to the town, and back again. Nothing happened, though. At least not until Annabeth joined the heroes.

I felt like a kid again, watching and trying to listen through their window as it all unfolded. Annabeth told her story, the true purpose of Percy and Luke's visit revealed, their deal with Hazel, Frank, and Piper, the questions; I took it all in. This was more incredible than I could have imagined. Who better to help break this siege on Odyssey Cove than demigods who had been up and personal with Saturn? No one would understand what needed to be done better than the survivors of this war, people who could see things for what they were.

I'd been out of the real fight for too long, it was time to join forces. All of the sudden it was like I had a pack again, and I had literally leapt into the air, spiraling high. Which of course was when it all fell to bits. Leave it to me to let go and get excited for one second and miss it all going haywire. I was still soaring up when the fight broke out.

I'm never going to admit that I was a little smug when I heard later that Percy had all but flattened Luke before the others got between them (I knew he was going to be the better demigod). He definitely wasn't the most diplomatic of the bunch, but maybe that was a good thing. I always worked so hard to keep people happy and balance everything out. Maybe we needed a hero who was willing to work behind the scenes and do a little stab first, ask questions later, somebody whose hands were already dirty. Reyna had been an expert at balancing the two, able to talk down and intimidate the worst of foes one moment or be razing their forces the next.

Regardless, I was too stuck in my own happy little world to look down until I heard them shouting and splitting up into search groups. This was it, this was my chance! What better way to prove that I wasn't the complete bumbling idiot I had turned into than finding the real blonde idiot out there for them?

As for the rest, well, it really played itself out. Once the hydra showed up I realized the gods had gone above and beyond with this one. It wasn't two lone heroes struggling to end the war. A whole team answered the call- even Neeks fired up and got in a few shots (I knew he had it in him!). There were a few near-death calls and they needed some training but still!

We would be like the demigod Avengers, out to make a better world. Today was what that was all about actually. Annabeth and Frank had volunteered to get the mortals together for a town meeting while Percy had left with Hazel for emergency rations since kale smoothies and dehydrated turnips apparently weren't dibble. As a kid who used to spend hours begging or picking through trashes for scraps, food was food. But hey, splurging and treats were always great for morale.

Which we were in desperate need of. And that takes me back to reality with the two most let down people on the team trying to kill me. I let out a grunt as Piper's leg snapped into my ribs, rolling with the motion enough to pull her off balance.

She was still wobbling as Luke stepped between us swinging wildly.

"Nice one Pipes, keep it loose!" I grinned, keeping myself just outside Luke's range.

I'll admit I was a bit shocked when Piper actually asked if we could train together once the others left. Piper had been one of the demigods I tried to recruit, but she kept everything buried behind walls of denial and self-doubt.

Being the daughter of a major celebrity and getting yourself cut out of theirs, and everyone else's lives for that matter will do that to you. When my first try failed, I figured being a friend there for her was more important than bringing her into our world. At least until the Empousa stole her away.

I think last night changed things though. Today there was no makeup or jewelry, only a plain ponytail to keep her hair out of her kaleidoscope eyes. Those walls were coming down one way or the other, and the real Piper as peeking out. The only problem so far was that attempting to teach Roman combat to a Greek was like trying to teach cursive to a man with no fingers. She shuffled and tripped through basic maneuvers, caught somewhere between fighting the style and fighting her own instincts.

Nothing was going anywhere until Luke showed up. After a few minutes of laughing his ass off at us, the moron told us to just get at it and tackled me. And that's how we got here, in a three-way free for all. As much as I hated him, I'm a tad jealous of the idiot. Piper wasn't struggling anymore, the fight for style and structure were gone.

It didn't matter what other people thought or said about her now. This fight was all that mattered in this moment, everything before, everything that might come, it was all background noise. I ducked under Luke's right hook, going in for a jab only to get knocked back. I guess he wasn't the most useless fighter after all. Piper tried to come up from behind but I spun, sweeping her legs out from under her. Again, Luke wound in on me, trading his random accuracy for speed and power.

I rolled beneath his legs, spinning wildly to stay behind his back. "You're not getting sloppy on me are ya?"

Luke just growled, still trying to land another hit. Piper surprised him with a war cry, leaping onto his back and pulling his arms up. I had to laugh, taking a few steps back to catch my breath while they struggled; Luke trying to wrestle the nimble girl off his back even as she jerked and twisted to keep her hold.

"Nice technique, take him down Pipes!" I clapped, grinning ear to ear at the venomous glare Luke shot my way "What? You've got at least a hundred pounds on her, man up bro."

"Ah, you guys started without us?" Hazel practically bounded into view, golden eyes glowing with anticipation.

I gave an innocent wink and shrug, standing a little taller as Percy followed her in. He seemed more relaxed now, the two of them back in sync. Good, so they had worked out whatever was going on there.

Hazel dropped an armful of groceries into Percy's arms and came around at me with surprising speed saying "Think fast Grace!"

The two of us toppled to the ground laughing while Luke and Piper went at it not five feet away, growling and clawing at each other. It almost worried me how much they ripped into each other, but then again, they were Greeks. That was just the way they were, it made them strong.

I didn't have to worry about it for much longer. As Luke pulled her into a sleeper hold and Piper when for his eyes, Percy appeared in a blue flash. I had enough time to brace myself before he had pushed and rolled the two of them right on top of us, waiting as we all got tangled in a mess of fists and kicks.

And then he gave a mischievous smile and skipped over, sitting on top of us like a throne.

"I should have thought of this ages ago." He mused.

Luke tried to spin around but Percy was faster, grabbing my arm and looping it under Hazel's outstretched leg. His arm got caught on mine, still a good foot away from even touching the son of Poseidon. He grinned smugly, lying flat on my back and winking down at me.

"So sparky, the bad news is you suck at this. Good news is, you make a pretty comfy pillow, so I guess you can stick around."

Something about his tone made me strain my head back to look at him, still draped on my back without a care in the world. His looked so open, his crooked grin free and inviting. It vanished in a flash when I shared that smile, his head turning away guiltily towards the shadows.

"What happened to a fair fight? You're going down Jackson!" Hazel declared valiantly, never ceasing her wiggling and wriggling.

Despite a valiant effort on hers and Piper's part, there didn't seem to be any hope of escape as Percy casually tugged and yanked them back into place. Luke for his part seemed strangely defeated as the ravenette lounged on top of him, just staring hard at the ground.

Percy snorted. "This is war Haze, there's no such thing as cheating. Everything goes, nothing's off the board, only glory, pizza, and limitless platypeople!"

Piper and Hazel broke down into giggles, going off about how ridiculous he was. Then again, that just made me want him more. Guess the first move was up to me now.

All it took was a quick zap where my skin met his, the shock (pun intended) giving me enough time to force us apart in a whirlwind of limbs. The others went sprawling over the training room floor; funny how that works when you don't know how to fly with the breeze. Percy, the wonder of skill and agility incarnate, was flat on his back with one leg up in the air, blinking rapidly up at the ceiling.

I alighted on his outstretched knee, keeping most of my weight in the breeze as I smirked down at him. "Anybody ever tell you that you make a great footrest?"

Percy laughed halfheartedly, jerking his leg away. It didn't really do him much good. I spun around in the air, lounging a good five feet off the ground. The others were bickering and laughing over there, Piper might have even been talking to me. I only had eyes for Percy though.

His eyes lingered on me for another second, then focused back on our friends. "What do you think?"

He leaned back on top of me, going silent as we watched. I spun onto my elbow, watching Luke sulk in the corner while the other two compared techniques.

"Be a little more specific?"

Percy hummed his face out of sight. There was no answer for a long while, only more watching and quiet thinking.

"Of everything." He sounded worried, or maybe angry. I couldn't tell.

I whistled a little, giving him a gentle nudge. "Everything's an awfully high order. I'm sure you can be more specific than that."

I think I hit a nerve there, for a second his mask slipped and a familiar anxiety creeped out. He really was like Reyna, I almost felt at home with this brooding worry. With Reyna, it could be annoying, but this seemed different. Reyna hadn't been trying to prevent a pivotal world take over or been pulling along an annoying thief who seemed to be dragging the team down with every chance.

Of course, he had a lot on his plate. But what was it now?

"I don't know. It's just…" Percy gave an aggravated sigh, words struggling to form to no avail until he gave a huff and started to walk away.

I hopped back up to my feet, leaping after him and putting a light hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. It's like my sis always said 'Don't sweat the small stuff when there's big stuff trying to eat you."

If his eyes could roll any harder, I'm pretty sure they would have rolled out of this head.

"Gee that totally helps." He deadpanned, trying to hide the smirk on his face.

There we go, now a little more and he'd open up- Luke groaned, giving me a caustic glare.

"Oh right, I almost forgot you're related to her. Thals never shut up about that."

I blinked a few times, not really understanding what I'd heard. Thals? Only her friends called her that, how did this jerk know Thalia? Apparently, I said that last part out loud, because Percy snorted and all four of us rounded on said jerk. Luke shrugged, kicking back onto a workout bench and starting to pump.

"It was back before you and Grover, Perce." He explained, not even panting as he kept going "Thalia hadn't even heard of the Hunters back then, she was just a demigod on a hunt of her own for her little brother. That's how we first met actually. I tried conning her into believing some kid I picked up was Jason for the reward money she scrounged up."

Funny, she'd never told me about that. She probably didn't want to remember someone like him though, I know I definitely didn't.

"Thals saw through it, kicked the kid out then kicked the shit out of me, totally called me out. I wore her out though, and we made a deal. I knew people back then, back before the war really broke out and it was easy to find people."

"But you didn't find me," I stated dryly, unimpressed with this story so far.

Luke huffed, face getting a little red as he added more weight, going faster now. Piper and Hazel seemed to lose interest, walking out to the living room with the snacks, Piper almost breaking into tears at the sight of chocolate.

"No. we didn't. Searched for another year and a half. Even got a lead about wolves and went after Lycaon for a while. When that didn't pan out, well, she gave up. Not that I blamed her. We went around the world living out of dumpsters and stolen cars, I was sick of it after the first week."

Lycaon? I remembered him, the leader of a rival pack. He'd mentioned Thalia before but I thought it was about the Hunters… That didn't make any sense though, but why would he lie?

"We were in Paris then, the city of love. Figures it's where she finally gave in and we started dating. Thalia was tired of living in a dead past, she wanted to live and I was happy to show her how. At least I was until she decided she was too good for a life of crime and became a Hunter. Shame too, you could learn a lot of things from her Percy, she was a real good kisser, and even better in the-"

"Luke." The warning was obvious in Percy's voice, but I jumped when I realized he was looking at me.

It took me a second to smell the ozone and see the sparks arcing between my fingers. Ah. All it took was a closed fist and the electricity crackled out of existence. Even though I still felt it rushing up my arm, Luke's words bouncing around in my skull.

Why was I letting him get to me? Romans and Greeks had a famous animosity, but everyone else seemed to be getting along just fine. I was better than that, I could do this. Yeah, I was better than that. Another calming breath was all it took for me, a friendly reminder of who the greater man was here.

Luke stopped pumping, sweaty now and a knowing look on his face. "What's wrong sparky? Trust me I'm not lying; I could tell you things about your dear old sis that would make Zeus and Aphrodite blush."

I shrugged, walking away with Percy towards the door. "I don't really care. If she did, it's her life, her loss."

Percy closed the door behind us before Luke had a chance to snap back, giving me a grateful look. "Thanks for not zapping him, he's lost too many brain cells already."

"I can tell. And now worries, I won't let him get under my skin."

Percy sighed, giving the door a longing look.

"If only I could do the same." He mumbled, falling backwards over the couch and flopping limply between Piper and Hazel.

Hazel was practically bouncing up and down, punching Piper playfully in the arm as she asked "So what're we doing tonight? Storming any castles? Recon? Fighting monsters?"

"Does crippling depression count as a monster?" Percy asked, closing his eyes and slowly munching on some of Piper's chocolate.

I don't think he realized we were all staring at him in various states of concern and shock, slack jawed and wide eyed. He blinked a few times when he finally opened his eyes, maybe realizing he had said that out loud. A goofy grin popped up on demand to soothe our worries.

"Kidding!"

None of us really bought that for a minute, Hazel and I exchanging paranoid glances while Piper gave him a pity laugh. We didn't have a chance to worry much longer, Frank and Annabeth came bursting back through the front doors, grinning and going on animatedly. Guess they didn't have issues with the Greek-Roman animosity either.

"Get your butts up, we've got a party to start! Frank pulled us up to our feet while Annabeth grabbed a few loose pens and paper, bagging up anything she could get her hands on.

"Party? Wait what happened to chatting up the townsfolk and keeping them from getting eaten?"

Annabeth shrugged, breezing by and kicking Percy with a loving wink as he ground on the floor, trying to resist as she tugged at him.

"We did. They were, well, they were-"

"They were terrified of us. The local pastor tried to perform an exorcism."

Piper giggled and Hazel sighed "That's his answer for everything. He tried one last year too when Nico sassed him at the Murphey funeral."

Percy snickered, Annabeth letting out an oomph as she pulled him up and over her shoulder. He managed to squirm up and over to look back at Hazel asking "Really? What'd Neeks do?"

Neeks? That was awfully friendly. I hadn't heard anyone call him that before actually… Frank interrupted before I could l hear any more of the story, tapping on my shoulder.

"Hey is that my watch?"

I blinked a few times, unable to stop him as he pulled the bronze piece out of my pocket and up to the light.

"Yeah, I found it outside on the ground. I figured I should bring it in for safekeeping."

Frank grinned, tugging it onto his thick wrist and slapping me on the back. "Thanks a bunch, it's an old heirloom. If I lost it, I'm pretty sure my grandparents would come back and haunt me."

I laughed along, trying to remember why I'd swiped it off his bed this morning, or why I'd lied about it. That had been happening a lot lately. Things I admired, even for a second, tended to end up in my hands one way or another. Eh, chalk it up to spontaneous kleptomania.

That could totally exist in a world like ours, right? I mean pigs could fly, gods turned into swans and knocked girls up, guys became gals when they hit snakes, and savage were-platypuses scourged Australia. What wasn't out there?

"Suffice it to say our welcome wasn't well received. The Mist has become so thin that they have seen into our world," Annabeth continued, "They were practically rioting, no one would accept out offers to explain. I got fed up with enduring their idiocy and threw the pastor out while Frank elected to give them time to collect themselves. We left them with a warning of the dangers and a promise of an informative social later tonight where the offer of answered questions still remains."

"A social?" Percy whined trying to squirm out of Annabeth's hold "Like a dance? Because the last time we went dancing you stabbed me."

Annabeth snorted, letting him go in favor of a few more backs of our precious groceries. "More of a get-together, after being trapped in the club for so long I don't believe a dance would be prudent. And don't be such a baby, you're the one who ran into my knife."

"Ten times? Percy countered.

"What do you want me to say, you're a klutz." Annabeth ruffled his hard and unloaded all the bags into his waiting arms.

Luke gave an exasperated sigh from the other side of the room but I did my best to ignore him, silently hoping everyone else would too. My prayer was left unanswered; Frank was the telltale traitor who gave him the excuse to start ranting.

"What's up?" He asked, trying to sound as though he really cared.

Luke shrugged his shoulders and started playing the knife game on the counter, the blade slashing between his fingers with surprising precision. "It's a waste of time. We tried to warn them and they didn't listen, we've got more important things to take care of."

Piper gave a disgusted look "Seriously? What's more important than protecting everybody? These are our friends, some of us grew up here we're not going to let them get hurt anymore."

Hazel and Frank threw in their two bits with nods and smiles, but I kept my eyes on Annabeth and Percy. Annabeth remained stoic, simply packing more bags onto her best friend and testing markers. Percy… Something flashed across Percy's face for a split instant.

He saw me looking and turned away as Luke shot back "How about us not dying? Or saving the rest of the world. Do you really think Kronos is going to pass up an opportunity to have a nice little massacre party when we all get-together?"

Piper opened her mouth to argue but Luke shut her down.

"You don't think we haven't tried helping mortals before? They don't listen, they don't believe, and they either hunt us down or get hunted because they're idiots. In case you forgot this whole save the world thing is time sensitive, we've only got a few days left, they're not worth it."

Luke might as well have showered in gasoline and lit a match; everyone exploded around him all at once, shouting and jumping to the defense of their friends and families. It was weird being on the outside of all this, watching them argue.

Bringing the town together again was risky if Kronos did attack, and splitting up wasn't a great idea. They were all in danger, and in this world, ignorance was only bliss until a giant wolf leaps through your front door and eats you.

Frank was new to this though, he didn't understand what the risks were, his heart was in the right place. And maybe we could afford one night. Annabeth had been with him and hadn't objected, and since she apparently had been working behind the scenes the whole time, I guess she could know a thing or two.

"Listen up!"

I don't know what I was expecting, nobody was listening, they were all too busy shouting at Luke. Oh well, there were some perks to being a son of Jupiter. I took a deep breath, the air around me rushing in, and then gave another shout, a literal boom of thunder crashing through with every word, wind ripping through the wind.

"Will everyone please shut up!"

The group stumbled back a little, covering their ears and finally going quiet. I cocked a grin, the air settling down again, crossing my arms and trying to smile around at people.

"That's better. Last I checked we weren't toddlers, I think we can use our words and work this out. Let's put it to a vote. Do we have this social and try to warn people, or do we focus on Bonds? And before you suggest it, I don't think we should split up."

"Agreed, last night was proof enough that teamwork is our best bet." Annabeth concurred.

Silent, angry looks were exchanged, most aimed at Luke who didn't look like he cared in the slightest. When nobody spoke up I coughed awkwardly and went on.

"Alright, all in favor of warning everyone again with this social?"

Four hands went up.

"All opposed?"

One hand went up.

I frowned, taking a quick second to glance back around. I was keeping track so I didn't vote, but there should have been at least six votes altogether. My eyes landed on Percy, who's back was still to me. He was staring at the ground, looking so small and away from everyone else, hands hidden inside the grocery bags.

"Well? That means we win, right?" Hazel asked, glancing around in relief.

My head nodded absentmindedly and I tore my gaze away as Frank started organizing things, asking Annabeth what would be the best way to get everyone caught up. Luke tried to say he wouldn't go when Percy snapped out of his silent brooding and told him to get over it and come with to keep everyone safe.

This was going to be an interesting evening. But at least we were all working together for the moment. This was a big risk for something that might not pay off. Centuries of ignorance and denial kept the mortals from seeing the world they had once been a part of, a chance to come back to that world might not be a popular option. But for once maybe this could work. Besides, what harm could one night do?

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Percy POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Town Centre, Cultural Hall**

 **13** days, **5** hours, **12** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

After the having such a _great_ night before, it only made sense that tonight would suck so much. Frank and Annabeth had spearheaded the group into setting up informative booths, laying out entire stacks of books on Roman and Greek mythology, they even brought some of our own armor and weapons to show examples.

But as the hours ticked by, nobody came. Well, that was a lie. A large group of locals had congregated down the street, trying to hide guns, looking nervously at us through the windows whenever we looked out, and a girl had wandered in for about ten seconds before sprinting out about ten minutes ago.

My partner was leaning back in one of the far corners near the snack trays we had set up to offer guests, smugly munching on peanut butter cookies and making sure to be seen checking the clock every few minutes. Why had we done this? It was a stupid idea, there were more important things to take care of!

I bit the inside of my mouth until I tasted blood, closing my eyes and trying to look supportive for everyone. Guilt wracked through me at the very thought of leaving everyone at the monster's mercy. I was so willing to let them sink or swim and just move on. With Kronos, it had been kill or be killed.

So many years trapped on Olympus had given me time to think, to see the error of my ways. It had reminded me of my time under the sea with dad, except without the comforting embrace of the water, the counseling of someone who tried to understand, and any general caring and help at all.

After that night, I'd snapped, I'd turned away from all that. But I'd snapped before, in a long line of terrible choices. That first snap had sent me straight into Kronos' open arms, then had set me on the path to becoming the Titans Wrath, Kronos' personal assassin, and general. It was a rare title to honor someone with, and only one other monster had ever received it before.

And then there was the snap that made even the monsters fear me…

I wasn't changing fast enough. That instinct to survive against all odds, any deed for any price, still burned in me, gnawing at my fatal flaw. It had gotten the best of me before, I wouldn't let it happen again. I was going to fix all this. That was why I was here now, trying to help these morons with my friends.

Morale had plummeted everyone was just shuffling around, staring blankly at the ground with broken expressions. Annabeth caught my eye signing a quick message to confirm my fears. So, warning everyone hadn't worked. Big deal, we could send out a warning to everyone tomorrow with a little magic. Tonight, we needed to save us.

I signed back to Annabeth, who nodded silently and swiped Piper's phone, flipping through as she approached one of the overhead microphones. A second later everyone jumped as shaky music started filtering through.

We worked fast, grabbing the closest person we could and pulling them to their feet, spinning them around in a wild dance. Piper and Hazel cheered in our arms, managing to lasso Jason and Frank into the mix, cheering and whooping as we went around.

Annabeth and I backed off, clapping as everyone gave us curious looks. "Cheer up guys; so, nobody came, oh _whale_."

Jason snorted and Annabeth booed me, giving me a playful shove. "What Seaweed Brain means is that-"

"We should keep our friends close and our _anemones_ closer!"

"Oh gods, I forgot how terrible your puns were."

"Don't you mean oh _cods_? Come on, don't be so _koi_ you love them!" I winked.

Everyone booed now, trying not to laugh. Luke even rolled his eyes, swaggering over to join us. Annabeth did her best to cover my mouth while I weakly struggled, shouting out more fish puns every chance I got.

"Chill out and relax, we have tonight. Tomorrow is another day, but for now, take a deep breath. It's going to be alright."

Annabeth had a way of speaking so much like CharmSpeak but so different, full of authority and charisma instead of want and need. Shoulders relaxed, smiles started up again, and people started chatting again. She was right; tonight, had failed, but we could still salvage it for tomorrow. Right now, we needed to regroup, it had been a bit of a blow to the newbies.

I got tugged away as a new song came one, hopping to the beat and trying to forget. It was hard when every jerk and twist sent a dozen fighting techniques to my brain every second, adrenaline telling me to attack whenever I saw someone in the corner of my eye. Geeze, I needed to pull myself together. Ever since our Bonds had come back into the picture I'd been an emotional mess, they were pulling out old pieces of me, pieces I didn't need.

As I spun around I saw something in the window, blocking out the light. Battle instincts took control and I jerked to a stop, eyes meeting with the boy outside the window. Dark brown eyes gazed into mine, dark locks whipping in the nighttime air. Neeks pulled his aviator jacket closer around him, whether from cold or knowing he had been spotted, I couldn't tell.

No one else seemed to have noticed him peering in, but I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I slowly extended my hand towards him, and gave a welcoming smile, trying to motion him in. His brow furrowed in confusion, then went sour as he was consumed in the shadows, reappearing in the distance, walking away.

I couldn't let him walk away, I had to fix this. He had listened to me yesterday when I tricked him into following me. I had seen him hiding, almost invisible, his eyes wide. There was a battle going on in his head, and I was the cause. Nico wasn't broken, he was hurt, hurt because of what I'd done to him.

If anyone saw me leave they didn't say anything as I rushed out of the cultural hall, the sounds of my chucks slapping against the blacktop echoing out eerily in the otherwise quiet town. The small mob of people had dispersed as the sun went down, nothing but eerie darkness spilling out across the sky.

There was a spot of dark in the streetlamp ahead as Nico passed under a streetlight and I doubled my speed. He was already gone by the time I got there, eyes spinning around. Where had he- There at the end of that alley, the shadows were still twisting away around the corner, trying to follow him.

I didn't even bother with the chain-link fence that separated me from the other side, an old trick flowing through my mind the same way I flowed straight through the hole's in the wall without breaking a stride. The last time I'd done that had been when I helped Nico and Bianca escape, so very long ago.

My feet skidded to a halt at the end of the alleyway, glancing around, trying to catch my bearings. Not ahead, not down another alley, but the shadows were still writhing over here, it was almost as though he was standing right on top of me.

"I forgot you could do that." I shivered at his voice, a forced sort of hollow "It felt like I was going through a blender back then."

He was there on a ledge, about ten feet above me, perched carefully in the shadows, one leg hanging loosely off the edge, the other tucked carefully up to his chest. His expression was hidden from view, but his tone said it all, all the pain and wrath he was trying to bottle up.

"Still feels like that," I admitted, "You never really get used to it."

Nico hummed above me, the shadows swirling around my feet like vultures. There was so much I wanted to say, but the strength I'd had yesterday, the strength to confront him and ask for his help, had sapped away. And so we stayed there like that, unmoving.

Nico flinched when I did shift, giving a sigh and sinking to the ground, going crisscross as I smiled up at him patiently.

"What are you doing?" He sounded a bit thrown like he wasn't happy that I was so at ease with him.

Probably went with the whole stalking me territory, which again, was so adorable. Oh, gods now was not the time to think of that, there were bigger issues than old memories. I shrugged, leaning back on my hands.

"Sitting. It's been a long week, I'm tired. How have you been?"

Nico narrowed his eyes. The shadows were really going wild now, twisting and licking at my own, shivers going up my spine every time they lapped at it. It didn't matter to me though, I kept right on smiling up at the boy I'd destroyed.

When he still didn't say anything, I went on. "Hazel's worried about you. I know you hate me but don't hate her. She's your family."

Nico nodded, face still a mask. "Yeah, she is. She's the only family I have left thanks to you."

I took a deep breath and sighed. It was laced in his voice, in his stare, everything; I was his monster. Not that it really surprised me. After all the things I'd done, even monsters had thought of me as one of their own. Everything blurs together once you start down that path, but that night… I will remember that night until the day I die.

"I'm sorry."

Silence. The temperature plummeted in the tick of a second, and the shadows writhed, squirming up out of the ground like blacked snakes, sharp and angry. Despite how hard I try I can't make myself look up at him now, even as his hate crashes out like a frozen wave.

I hear him breathing hard, feel the cold of the dead cover everything answering the call of their king. My eyes snap up as he tosses himself down, landing as gracefully and silently as a black cat only a few feet away.

There's rage in his face, the type of rage that's drowned entire civilizations and burned the remains. It looks out of place on a face I know so well, a face that's haunted my dreams since the day I was born. Even before Luke, I had known Nico di Angelo. The boy had crept into my dreams after I lost my mother, filling my dreams with wonder and adventure.

I hadn't recognized his face that night, not until I had already sent him running. And then…

"After everything you've done, sorry isn't enough."

My fingers curled against the frozen asphalt so hard they broke the skin. "I know. Trust me Nico, I'm going to pay for it all."

His face was so strange, such a mishmash of confusion, then anger, then worry. That wasn't what I had been supposed to say, he had wanted to hear something else.

"Join the party Nico. Please."

"I am never going to forgive you." He spat.

I shrugged, turning to look up at the sky. "You don't have to. I don't have that much time left anyways."

Nico gave an aggravated eye roll. "What are you going on about?"

"You know it's a beautiful night. The stars are shining, the monsters aren't sneaking around… My nights are numbered Neeks. In a couple of days, you won't have to worry about me. Because on night's like this, freaks like me will be burning in Tartarus."

His mouth opened then closed, another roller coaster of emotion racing past. Golly, he was complicated. What a relief that I wasn't the only one. Nico shook his head, trying to reign in his train of thought. It was strange to see him so staggered.

"No! You don't get to go anywhere! You're supposed to be fighting back, you're a monster! My monster! Stop playing with me and fight dammit! You outran Furies, you killed the Minotaur when you were just a kid! You massacred armies, stop moping around and acting so nice! This isn't one of my dreams, you can't pretend to be the good guy anymore!"

There was an eruption of death from him, and I was knocked back on the ground, lightbulbs smashing around us and leaving the area in total darkness. Nico's breath hitched, and I heard my name on his lips before he caught himself. Without even looking I felt the shadows engulf him, spiriting him far away.

And I was alone.

Except I wasn't.

I was still reeling from Nico's attack when I felt _him_ , the Bane burning the back of my mind. Figures I wouldn't even have time to recover from that. The world shifted as I dusted myself off and started back down the street, heading back towards the cultural hall. They'd be worried about me if I was gone too long, and what with big and angry only a few feet away, I'd rather be close to some friends.

Nico's final accusations rang through my head as I kept on going, but they didn't reach me. He had dreams about me too. He hated me but had been worried when he hurt me. What did it all mean? The sidewalk rumbled with my footsteps, and the geysers erupting up through the sewers, manholes flying up into the air as I went by.

Okay, so maybe I wasn't as calm as I wanted to be right now. My hands were shaking almost as much as the ground, tremors lashing out and cracking the asphalt as I went, every lone water drop frothing.

I turned the corner towards the Town Centre, only to run smack into a group of monsters. They were decked out in full battle armor and weaponry. I could see more groups, scattered around the Town Centre slowly making their way forwards, careful to stay out of sight.

My hand was reaching for Riptide as they drew their weapons, but I stopped when I noticed the lurking shadow behind them. Foreign hate rushed through me and I stopped, hands going to my side and smiling at the approaching fiends.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. He doesn't like it when other people play with me."

They didn't listen to me, or to the thundering clip-clops behind them. I don't even think they had time to scream before they were nothing but dust, impaled or ripped apart in the blink of an eye.

My Bane glared down at me, a hulking mass of human cow lovechild. I smiled up at the Minotaur, hands in my pockets. We had done this dance before. I'd never seen a monster reform so often; this beast had hunted me across the world. Even Kronos had been impressed by how far it was willing to go to kill me, ripping apart anything that tried to steal his kill. It wanted me dead, and it wasn't going to let anyone else do the job if it could help it.

"I've had a bad night. Think we can put off another round?"

I didn't expect a reply. Usually, it was just "MINOTAUR SMASH!" and we'd get right to it. I had bigger issues anyway, like getting everyone out of that building. Should have known Kronos would start his attack now, small as this attack seemed to be.

But then he stretched out his arm, one beefy digit pointed straight ahead. You'd probably think I was stupid for turning my back on a living wall of meat with horns, but the whole 'hey-turn-around-while-I-impale-you' didn't fly with his beef brain.

I took the risk and craned my neck to check.

I only saw them for an instant, a navy cape with silver markings sprinting away, a flash of luminescent golden eyes, but that was enough. All thoughts of warning my friends flew out the window as I spun on a dime and chased after the figure, passing more and more monsters as I sprinted down the street.

This was not going to end well.

* * *

So yeah. Sorry about this. Happy Halloween. 

 


	21. Nothing More Than A Puppet

**Disclaimer; I do not own Percy Jackson**

* * *

 

**Nothing More Than A Puppet**

Annabeth POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Town Centre, Cultural Hall**

 **13** days, **4** hours, **58** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Everything had gone according to plan. None of the mortals, or even the other demigods had shown their faces at our social. Our new comrades now had a firm grasp on the situation, and morale was higher than anticipated.

The guilt I felt for sabotaging the whole event weighed on the back of my mind, but I ignored it for the satisfaction of another job well done. The others wouldn't understand, but tonight had been a necessary evil.

Percy, and perhaps Luke from what I had observed, would understand why I had pressured the chief of police into warning people to stay in their homes tonight. Mortals cannot comprehend our world. I loathe dealing in such absolutes, but personal experience had shown me that. My own father had not been able to handle dealing with our world. Neither had those I had attempted to enlighten in my younger years, desperately trying to warn them of the dangers.

They had all died.

This was a crucial lesson for Hazel, Frank, and Piper; they were still so attached to their former world. Now was the time to cut ties and move on. To do otherwise would surely lead to their downfall in the coming battles. Even as I had abused my influence to keep the mortals cowering in their homes or mumbling at our doorstep, a seed I had not even needed to plant started to bloom.

With it was the realization that they were alone now, that the mortals had made their choice. It was a time for heroes, not for sheep. The guilt bit at me for that comment, and I had to hunt Percy across the room, leaning on him for a while to focus on the truth.

The son of Poseidon was the only family I had left, another part of my soul. He anchored me (gods help me if I ever actually use that phrase around him, he would turn it into an eternity of boat puns) and pushed away the lingering apathy that still infected me.

Kronos' influence over me had died long ago when I was forced to leave Percy behind. The mindset of his general, the callously efficient bloodlust and dead heart still remained. It was a challenge to care about these trivial matters.

I was above all this. I was better than anyone here. I had learned my lessons the hard way, I had risen above all the pointless struggles of the mortals and fought my way tooth and nail to be here. No deed had been too great, no price too high to be standing where I was today.

Tonight had taught the recruits how valuable we were to them. It was a decent trade off all things considered. A minor drop in morale in exchange for greater understanding of one another and the situation.

That would help fix the rift Percy and Luke's lies had created. With Percy's assistance, I was positive I could have this team back in working order in no time at all.

With the groundwork laid there, that left only more recon of Mount Othrys, hunting down the remaining Bond Monsters, and destroying Luke's image. That last item was proving easier than expected; his self-destructive and caustic personality kept everyone at arm's length. All it would take would be a few more pushes and the gods would have to realize Percy's superiority.

Percy may be willing to risk his return to the realm of the living by working with Luke, but I wasn't. A painfully charted thirty-nine step program would ensure he get the majority of the gods votes, but Luke had the potential to throw it all to ruin. I couldn't interfere directly with the Moirai Trial, but gods help me if I wasn't going to ensure that Luke lost. All I needed was the right moment.

Envy sauntered over to Greed- no Jason went to Hazel. I needed Percy to ground me again, it was far too easy to objectify everyone. I scanned the room for him, frowning when I didn't catch sight of the familiar ravenette. My mind was instantly racing, possibilities crunching in my head.

It was a gift and curse of the children of Athena, our racing minds. Whenever something happened, whether it was something as trivial as a missing pencil, or as overwhelming as piloting a skydiving plane, we were always calculating the odds.

Another calm head count, politely smiling at everyone as I passed, proved conclusive. He was no longer here. Percy wouldn't have just walked away, not in such an exposed place as this. Years of training meant keeping your partner informed- scratch that, this was Percy. I had to rethink this, plotting out his spontaneous nature.

If it had meant a threat, he would have warned us, even if he did have that ridiculous urge to take it on himself. The probability that he was taken also seemed unlikely. It would take a significant amount of effort to kidnap Percy, and the implication that he was the only one missing killed the hypothesis.

Which meant Percy had left willingly. That didn't make sense though, why would… No. Not why. Who. Percy, sea brained as he was, wasn't a total idiot. Except when it came to people. Or maybe just one person. One brooding, unfortunate person that Percy felt needed saving.

That fit the parameters of the situation. I nodded in satisfaction and helped everyone start packing up, keeping on a cheery smile even as I worked on the problem of Percy. He could only have been gone for the last ten minutes or so, which left a good search radius. Factoring in Nico's ability to shadow travel and his desire to be found, adding for inevitable confrontation…

Nico was impatient, and Percy was fast. They would still be in town, probably only a few blocks away. Ten minutes ago, I was busy with Piper, being charmed by the innocent beauty, with my back to the east door where Percy had been relaxing. That narrowed it down, time to get going.

It only took another five minutes to get everything packed up, and another two to get everyone armored up with joking 'practice run home' turning the search for Percy into a game. They ate it up, all too happy to play along and suit up.

By the time we tracked him down, his conversation would have ended, leaving only a brisk jaunt back to the Shoebox. All the factors were there, this would be simple. That simple thought was what saved us, my brilliant curse blaring off a warning as Piper locked the doors behind us.

When a flock of stymphalian birds dive screamed into the night, dracaena slithering at us from the sides, my knife was already out, three monsters dusted as soon as the attack began.

The others screamed, weapons coming out, Jason's lighting giving us an escape from the aerial attacks and enough time to regroup. There was at least a dozen more squads scattered around, a mishmash of monsters in every shape and size taking formation and charging in.

I didn't bother with the small fries as I bellowed orders, slicing through the enemy like butter. An ambush in a wide-open space with plenty of escape routes, little cover, and no hostages for the monsters to take? All too easy.

I had held off armies, undone gods, and collapsed nations! I was a daughter of Athena, war was a game and I knew every move. Jason and the others were calling for a retreat, but why? With every turn, another monster was reduced to dust. The hordes that followed only added to my deathly equation, each kill another step closer to victory. If you were going to challenge Annabeth Chase, you should have a better plan than-

The ground rumbled and my footing faltered, focus lapsing into chaos. Three of our prime escape routes had been cut off, the street was lined with soldiers. No matter, this situation was salvageable. My pride would never suffer from a simple miscalculation of odds.

Oh gods my Pride! I felt my bond now, the glowing presence of hubris spurring my arrogance into inaction. Kronos knew me too well. What better way to keep Pride pinned down in such a vulnerable location than to give them a challenge and pump their ego full of excess bravado?

We needed a getaway before all was lost. Something shiny caught my eye in the distance, two huge shapes stampeding down the street towards us. They trampled cars and streetlights, and I finally saw a flash of iron, silver tusks, and the glowing of literal ruby eyes. Colchis Bulls.

I ordered Jason to get people up into the air, trying to work out a new strategy. Damn Pride, I just had to tempt fate. A struggle of life and death, a puzzle of our continued survival and their immediate extinction. Here was the challenge I had asked for.

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Percy POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Downtown, Morpheus Park**

 **13** days, **4** hours, **43** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

So… There's a pretty big possibility that I've gone insane. At least that's the only explanation I could come up with as I kept on sprinting, the world around me a blur. Or at least it was sometimes; between buildings, I caught glimpses of Westover Hall in flames, the Empire State Building in the middle of a storm, whirlwinds of golden dust and blood.

None of it came into focus. Everything I had, every searing ounce of my being was focused ahead on the lithe phantom racing silently through the streets. It was an urge, a need that threw me into maximum drive, feet barely slapping the ground as I went by.

I could hear them laughing, a sound that made my blood curdle. Nothing scared me more than the sound of their laugh, their voice. Not death, not war, not even Kronos.

 _k_ ** _E_** _E_ ** _p U_** _P_ ** _P_** _eR_ ** _Se_** _Us_ ** _!_** They cackled, going even faster now.

My heart was beating out of my chest, I couldn't do anything but push harder and run faster. Thinking wasn't an option as I chased after that fluttering cloak. The two of us turned down the street, and they vanished into the park ahead, all the lights flickering off in sync.

I skidded to a halt at the pavement, eyes roaming the darkness. The park was a squat little square of cement and grass, surrounded by road and theater. A ring of trees gave enough cover ahead to hide the town fountain, and more importantly, the figure.

Rational thought was trying to make a comeback, red flags and alarms screaming in my head. It was so hard to focus when I could still hear their chuckling riding the wind. I shouldn't be here. This wasn't a fight I was ready for. I needed Annabeth, I needed to be safe, I needed… I needed…

The sounds of my steps tapping slowly against the sidewalk echoed eerily in this unnatural silence. Riptide was already out and uncapped in my hand- I'm not sure when that happened. The blade scraped and sparked across the pavement, a blue glow giving just enough light to navigate by.

**_i_ ** _w_ **_AN_ ** _T_ **_e_ ** _D_ **_t_ ** _O w_ **_aIT_ ** _Ti_ **_L_ ** _l T_ **_H_ ** _e_ **_Y_ ** _bR_ **_ok_ ** _E y_ **_O_ ** _u._

Smoke, salt, and blood filled the air. Those were smells you could never ever forget. I was covered in blood; whose I wasn't sure, but definitely not mine. It was never mine. Monsters were around me, shuffling away, some staring in curiosity, some malice. One got in my way and then I was covered in golden dust as well. No, this wasn't real, this was just a memory, a bad, bad memory-

**_Bu_ ** _T w_ **_H_ ** _eR_ **_E'_ ** _S tHe_ **_F_ ** _Un i_ **_n_ ** _w_ **_Ai_ ** _T_ **_In_ ** _G_ **_w_ ** _H_ **_E_ ** _n i_ **_cA_ ** _n dO_ **_i_ ** _T m_ **_Y_ ** _sel_ **_F?_ **

A girl was crying, begging me for help, the monster was getting closer. I had to turn away, I didn't want to hear it again, I couldn't hear it again. Riptide was heavy in my hands, I was shaking so hard, the world was nothing but red, there was nothing but screaming, I had to stop it, I had to cut it off at the source, I had to kill-

**_yO_ ** _U sE_ **_Em_ ** _U_ **_n_ ** _Ba_ **_la_ ** _N_ **_c_ ** _E_ **_d_ ** _. Wh_ **_ER_ ** _e_ **_'S_ ** _de_ **_Ar_ ** _o_ **_Ld D_ ** _aD w_ **_H_ ** _En_ **_Yo_ ** _u N_ **_Ee_ ** _D h_ **_I_ ** _M_ **_? O_ ** _R_ **_d_ ** _o yo_ **_U_ ** _n_ **_O_ ** _T_ **_W_ ** _a_ **_N_ ** _t_ **_HI_ ** _m t_ **_OsE_ ** _e Y_ **_o_ ** _u_ **_R_ ** _t_ **_Ru_ ** _E_ **_C_ ** _oL_ **_oR_ ** _s?_

I stood beside Kronos throne, the legions of the Titan army roaring their approval as I claimed the title of Titans Wrath. I was dressed in a tuxedo, there was a dagger, a blonde was stabbing me. It was a massacre, anyone who got near us died in an explosion of red, we worked together or screamed at each other, the blonde- Annabeth! I closed my eyes, concentrating on her face. Memories, still bloody, but happy, started to leak in.

 ** _Do_** _n'T_ ** _iG_** _nO_ ** _R_** _e_ ** _ME_**.

Nico's grinning at me, laughing and comforted, not noticing as I crush a dracaena to dust behind him, smiling the whole time. Screams echo through the night air and I don't have my headphones, I run out, it's instinct, there's only red and gold-

"Stop it!" I don't know if I'm begging or howling.

I fall to my knees, trying to cover my ears, but the screams are in my head and there's no escape. I can't even see the park now, there's only the war, a mass of unclaimed graves spiraling out from me, graves no one will ever remember. Who's the monster now?

**_Y_ ** _o_ **_U_ ** _'Re_ **_My_ ** _moN_ **_St_ ** _E_ **_r_ ** _. I'_ **_M_ ** _n_ **_O_ ** _t Li_ **_Ke_ ** _thE_ **_M p_ ** _E_ **_Rs_ ** _E_ **_u_ ** _S._ **_i_ ** _Wi_ **_Ll_ ** _ne_ **_Ve_ ** _R l_ **_E_ ** _a_ **_V_ ** _e y_ **_o_ ** _U. I O_ **_Nl_ ** _y w_ **_ANt_ ** _wH_ **_a_ ** _t_ **_y_ ** _OU_ **_w_ ** _AN_ **_t_ ** _._

Riptide cuts into my side when I fall, the real world coming back into focus for a split second. I don't let it end, my hands find the razor-sharp edge and squeeze, the pain slicing through the haze and bringing me back to reality.

**_P_ ** _E_ **_R_ ** _se_ **_US._ ** _._ **_._ **

All I can do is lay there on the ground for a long time, gasping and panting, hands still locked around Riptide in a death grip. The night is still unnaturally quiet, the dark a little too dark to be normal. But it's real. My shaking fingers let Riptide fall, grimacing when I see the damage. I need some water. Almost on cue, I heard the parks lone fountain; a pretty little marble thing with bronze children frozen forever splashing each other.

I cradle my sword carefully as I crawl over, still too shaky to stand. Whatever part of me isn't crawling is chanting a mantra of 'I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine' over and over, hoping that if I say it enough it'll be true.

The water beckons and calls me in, gentle strands rising to meet my hands. It cradles me, caressing my skin and kissing my wounds, stitching the skin back together. It even clears my head, and I can breathe again, staring down at my own reflection in the ripples

I lie to it, trying to smile. "I'm fine."

" _n_ ** _O_** _yo_ ** _U'R_** _e N_ ** _O_** _T_." That voice isn't in my head.

It's dangerously close, agonizingly loud in such a strange silence. There's movement next to my reflection in the water. One of the statues wasn't a statue at all, glowing gold eyes lighting up the water around me like spotlights.

There's no need to think about it, or even look up. The water around me shifts faster than lightning, a dozen spears thicker than my arm careening up at breakneck speed. But they're already gone, my spears sawing straight through the statues.

I duck on instinct, a glowing bronze blade cracking against the fountain where I had been. I slice back, hard and fast, Riptide spinning one way and a cascade splashing from the other. The figure parries my blow, using my own momentum to send me sprawling against the ground and somehow sidestepping the wave.

They don't have a chance to move in on me, liquid ribbons spiral up from the ground, slicing and dicing at the air. They flip and spin, evading each strike as I pull myself to my feet and charge, missing them but severing the back of their cloak. It flutters in my field of vision, blocking my opponent from view as it dissolves into nothingness.

" ** _CO_** _Me_ ** _n_** _oW, Do_ ** _n_** _'T_ ** _TE_** _ll m_ ** _E_** _t_ ** _HI_** _s i_ ** _S_** _t_ ** _H_** _e b_ ** _ES_** _t y_ ** _O_** _u_ ** _CA_** _n d_ ** _O_**."

Retaliation came in the blink of an eye, their blade flashing in a zig zag pattern. I barely had time to parry, sparks lighting up across Riptide, biting the inside of my cheek when they snapped down, forcing our blades to scissor into my thigh. More spears shot out of the puddles around us, a spinning barrier giving me enough of a breather to heal, calling out a tidal wave and emptying the whole fountain.

Those glowing eyes smirked at me, and suddenly the water froze. Literally. I only had a second to comprehend the change when it all exploded, icy shards ripping through the night air. Another wave from me turned them back to water, spinning and slicing, only for the shadow to send them racing back, the puddles coalescing into an oversized fist and punching me into the pavement.

I had to fight against their influence, the water unsure of who to listen to, letting power explode out from me in a hurricane, only for them to do the same, a real storm brewing in the air around us.

" _I_ ** _F_** _t_ ** _HI_** _s_ ** _i_** _S t_ ** _H_** _e_ ** _B_** _es_ ** _T y_** _o_ ** _U'v_** _e G_ ** _o_** _t_ ** _tH_** _en_ ** _k_** _RO_ ** _n_** _O_ ** _s H_** _As A_ ** _l_** _re_ ** _AdY w_** _On._ ** _e_** _M_ ** _b_** _ra_ ** _CE_** _w_ ** _H_** _o_ ** _YO_** _u a_ ** _R_** _E ,_ ** _St_** _oP_ ** _h_** _O_ ** _l_** _Di_ ** _n_** _G_ ** _bA_** _CK_!"

The scream that rips through my lips shocks even me as I launch myself, uncaring as their whirlwind rips and tears at my skin. They manage to knock Riptide out of my hands, but I'm too close for another stab. We end up tossing around on the cement, the ground squelching as we twist and turn. The shadow brains me with the hilt of their sword, but I manage to grab their head, slamming their face into the hard earth. Spikes emerge from the puddles around us, stabbing against my skin only to slide off harmlessly a moment later.

It's a fight of raw brawn at this point, the two of us rolling, the world spiraling in stars and red as we bite and punch. I manage to twist them around, sitting on their arms and wrapping my hands around their throat, banging their head back against the pavement and squeezing as hard as I can.

They claw at my fingers, choking, wet gasps coming from under their hood, water spiking at me only to fall short. A streetlight flickers on overhead and my heart stops, staring down at a golden eyed Nico.

My mouth hangs open and all I can do is let go, falling off his chest, unable to think.

"Neeks…?" I choke out, starting to shake again.

The boy rubs his throat with his now freed hands, those golden eyes never leaving me.

" _Are you going to kill me_?"

I have to stop myself from crying, all I can do is stare and cry at him, my Nico. I manage to shake my head, desperately trying to form words. This doesn't make sense! How could I have done this, how did he get those eyes…

"I can't. I would never- I mean I couldn't even-I'm so sorry Nico!"

The boy frowns, those golden eyes narrowing. " _p_ ** _A_** _th_ ** _Et_** _i_ ** _C_** _. T_ ** _hA_** _T_ ** _'s_** _W_ ** _h_** _y Y_ ** _o_** _u lo_ ** _SE_** _._ "

They twisted around in a smooth roll, their heel colliding hard with the side of my head. I fell flat, a handful of dew the only reason I hadn't passed out. It waved over me, instinct tugging me out of danger and pooling the water into a healing armor around me.

Even with it fixing my wounds the world was still spinning and my insides felt wrong as I struggled to stay upright. The figure stalked towards me, Luke's face glaring through the darkness as they came closer.

" _c_ ** _A_** _N y_ ** _OU_** _d_ ** _O_** _iT_ ** _No_** _W?_ " They asked, " _Or Wo_ ** _Ul_** _d iT Be Ea_ ** _Si_** _Er_ ** _t_** _O_ ** _Mu_** _R_ ** _De_** _r s_ ** _o_** _m_ ** _e_** _O_ ** _N_** _e_ ** _we_** _Al_ ** _R_** _e_ ** _aD_** _y S_ ** _la_** _UG_ ** _ht_** _E_ ** _Re_** _D_ ** _?_** "

The light flickered, hundreds of faces flashing in the blink of an eye, accusations flying at me; wait no, those were icicles. I blasted them away, staggering to the side and sent a watery tentacle slapping towards them.

"Go away. You're not real. I remember now. Annabeth told me how to beat you."

They grinned, and laughed, vanishing in the blink of an eye to crack their fist into the side of my face. I had to roll with the punch, water spiking around my fist as I went for a kidney punch, only for it to roll off the same way it had when they tried it on me.

" _I_ ** _a_** _M_ ** _as R_** _Ea_ ** _l_** _a_ ** _S_** _Y_ ** _o_** _u a_ ** _R_** _e_ ** _p_** _E_ ** _R_** _s_ ** _eU_** _s._ ** _M_** _a_ ** _Yb_** _e M_ ** _O_** _re_."

I was losing this fight; they were too strong. No, this wasn't real I couldn't give in. Annabeth had been there when this happened last time, back when the experiments started. He wasn't real, it was just a side effect of what the Telekhines had done to me. This was nothing, I could do this I could beat them!

" ** _N_** _o_ ** _Yo_** _U c_ ** _AN_** _'t._ ** _y_** _oU cA_ ** _n'T_** _E_ ** _vE_** _n K_ ** _iL_** _L m_ ** _E_** _._ "

With a final war cry I barreled straight at them, pulling on every ounce of strength the water could give me. They just stood there, face blank except for a pair of golden eyes smirking at me. At the last second they spun around, revealing a giant icicle pointed straight at my head. I didn't have enough energy to twist away, I skidded to halt, arms waving wildly.

They grabbed the back of my head before I had a chance to react, slamming my face towards that deadly frozen point. My hands managed to grab the sides of the icicle, using all the power I could to keep myself upright even as they forced me closer and closer towards the icy point.

" _I_ ** _f_** _Y_ ** _Ou_** _a_ ** _R_** _e_ ** _n'T_** _W_ ** _ill_** _In_ ** _G_** _t_ ** _O Ki_** _L_ ** _L_** _m_ ** _E_** _, I_ ** _F_** _y_ ** _oU_** _ca_ ** _n'T_** _,_ ** _Th_** _E_ ** _n_** _W_ ** _ha_** _t G_ ** _o_** _o_ ** _D_** _a_ ** _R_** _E y_ ** _O_** _U?"_

The point was dangerously close to my eye; they were pushing so hard. I was going to die here, I was out of second chances. Today had been my only chance, and now I was going to die, impaled on a stupid ice spike. No!

The spike scraped my cheek as inhuman adrenaline burst through me, the need to survive overwhelming everything else. The last foot of spike snapped off in my hands, swinging it around at their head. It melted, rolling off their head, but my fist didn't. They were reeling as I landed blow after blow anywhere I could reach, stopping only for one second to grab up my sword, raising it up for a final strike. Those golden eyes looked at me, bloody and wide, arms up in defense.

I stared at them for a long second, heart pounding in my ears, my whole body either numb or in agony, Riptide shaking in my hands as I stared at their face; my face. My own golden eyes narrowed after a few seconds, glaring at me even as I held my sword high, ready to strike.

" ** _D_** _o i_ ** _T_** _. S_ ** _t_** _R_ ** _ik_** _E m_ ** _E do_** _Wn,_ ** _an_** _d_ ** _w_** _E c_ ** _A_** _N_ ** _END_** _t_ ** _H_** _i_ ** _s_** _."_

But Riptide didn't move. I watched my own face sour and growl, hatred shining out at me in those golden eyes.

" _W_ ** _e'R_** _E_ ** _s_** _O wE_ ** _Ak_** _. B_ ** _u_** _T W_ ** _e'r_** _E_ ** _o_** _u_ ** _T_** _of_ ** _Ti_** _Me N_ ** _o_** _w._ ** _H_** _e's He_ ** _Re_** _. T_ ** _h_** _Is_ ** _i_** _S nO_ ** _T_** _o_ ** _V_** _e_ ** _r P_** _e_ ** _Rs_** _E_ ** _u_** _S. Y_ ** _o_** _U W_ ** _il_** _l_ ** _DIE_** _._ ** _Y_** _o_ ** _u_** _h_ ** _AvE_** _t_ ** _o D_** _i_ ** _E T_** _o_ ** _B_** _e_ ** _FREE_** _."_

Before my eyes they melted, those golden eyes vanishing into nothingness, another ripple in the puddles around me. My knees hit the pavement again and I had to use my sword to support myself, breathing slow and hard. Ticking filled the air as the park lights came back on, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up but I ignored that.

It had been a very long time since I had a fight like that. A fight with him. With me. His voice- my voice- had haunted me even in the Hall of The Fallen, the same way it had haunted me for years. Ever since I sided with the monsters.

He had not always been so vocal, and definitely not as physical as now, but considering what was going on… I needed Annabeth, I needed her to remind me, to help me fix the problems I had caused. This was not good.

"My poor grandchild, beaten and bloody on his sword, the remnants of a brutal battle still in the air; I do believe I feel a rush of nostalgia coming on."

Let me repeat that, this is definitely not good. Dead exhaustion was replaced with that same urge to survive and I spun to my feet, sword outstretched towards the voice of my nightmares. Kronos stood a few yards away, poised and powerful as ever.

The Titan Lord was even more monstrous than I remembered. His war frame had been scratched and scarred, but new armor, somewhere between regal and terrifying, had been forged on, his face more alien than ever.

"Yeah. Nostalgia." I spat, remembering the day the devil himself had arrived in my life.

I wish he had let the Furies finish their job. He raised an eyebrow, a mocking look of hurt on his skull.

"Well, well, well. I personally look into the wellbeing of my favorite grandson, and I receive this welcome? I was under the impression that I raised you better."

A snarl escaped my bleeding lips, and I glared up at the Titan Lord. No, I couldn't fight him, especially not like this. He was here for a reason. As long as here I might as well find the answer to the one question I needed from him.

"Why are they alive?

Kronos didn't answer, folding his arms behind his back, not a care in the world as he watched me start to pace back and forth, still staggering from my fight.

"You've been here for a year and a half, why are the seven still alive? The demigods have been bonded for months, you could have killed them off ages ago and made your lackey's invincible. Even Hazel had been bonded long enough, you could have knocked her off before we even landed. Why?"

Kronos was silent for a long pause, those gold orbs studying me intently. He took his time, enunciating each syllable as he finally replied: "Seven half-bloods will answer the call."

I blinked, confused and taken aback. Seven half-bloods will answer the call? What the hell did that have to do with any… Wait a second.

"The prophecy? You're kidding me, right?"

Kronos didn't respond. I let out a crazed laugh, not sure if I could believe what I was hearing. I'd had hundreds of theories as to why he hadn't murdered off everyone here, thousands of different possibilities and scenarios, but this? No, this was a fake out.

"They made that up ages ago, chances are it was just some crackpot prediction from an oracle who'd been gassed with too many fumes. You're lying, there has to be a real reason why you'd keep them alive."

Kronos chuckled placing an enormous claw over his heart. "Always so mistrusting. An admirable feature Perseus, but now it has become almost insulting. I have never, nor will I ever, lie to you my child.

I couldn't help it, I exploded, the water boiling and spiking up around me. "What?! This coming from the one who ruined my life, who convinced me that the gods were bad guys, who tricked me into killing thousands of innocents! You made me into a monster!"

I sent a tidal wave spilling out at him, Riptide swinging as I went low. The wave never reached him, time rewinding as it morphed back into a lifeless puddle. I was an inch away when Kronos moved, his huge frame sidestepping me with ease and stepping out of my range.

I tried again, a dozen water swords spinning up from the ground around me in a blender of death, chunks of the fountain falling away and ribbons of ice spiraling at his inner mechanisms. The water flopped lifelessly back to the ground, and ice turned to steam and was gone before it could touch him as Kronos once again stepped out of reach, leading me in circles as I kept swinging.

I finally tripped on my own feet, sword clattering to the ground a few feet away as I tried to catch my breath. Kronos crossed his arms, waiting patiently until I had the strength to look back up and meet his overwhelming gaze.

"Are you quite done with your tantrum? Yes? Good, now silence yourself and listen. I was not the one who showed you the corrupt nature of the gods. Through their own actions and the words of your tormentor Castellan you realized the truth. You joined me knowing I was against them."

I shook my head, but he wasn't lying. Kronos had let me make my own opinions when I met him, I knew what I was getting into.

"You told me you wanted to make the world a better place! That you wanted to save people!"

Kronos gave a condescending sigh "And when did I not live up to that? Did I not attempt to assist the mortals we encountered on our travels, to guide them to true enlightenment? You say you killed thousands through my deceptions. Do not pretend to be a saint and I the sinner. You ended them for your own sake."

"I was a child!" I growled, clawing my way to Riptide and dragging myself upright "What kind of monster makes a kid do those kinds of things?"

"You ceased being a child long before I saved you. Before you made the choice to slaughter your kin I never forced you to take a single drop from their veins. You made that choice, not I. And the mortals, their innocence you stole? You bargained for that deal. Two half-bloods and my lieutenant in exchange for blood.

No, no, no! I pooled the water around me, blocking out the painful truths he was spinning around me.

"You made me kill them! Most of them were kids!"

Kronos gave a derisive snort. "So were the demigods you massacred. You wanted to be rebellious, punishments were necessary to correct the problem."

"Correct the problem!?" That was all I needed for another attempt.

A hurricane of energy surged into existence in an instant, ripping up trees and tearing up the earth, tremors cracking and surging through the ground around us. The whole world was trembling with my power, except for Kronos himself. Against the fury of my hurricane he stood, unfaltering against the torrent.

He seemed to lose patience soon though, and came towards me, unfazed by the gale that was literally ripping pieces of the sidewalk up around us. He tapped my forehead with a single, golden claw, and all the rage I had fell away to pure exhaustion, toppling to the ground.

"Cease your struggling Perseus. Our time together is meager, and I do not wish to waste it squabbling. We have digressed enough, and the point remains; I have never lied to you. Before you decided to return to the equation, the demigods were my answer to the prophecy. A prophecy which is approaching faster than at first expected."

I had to fight to keep my eyes open, compensating for whatever he had done to me. "Then why did Kampê try and kill Nico?"

Kronos looked away, a look of annoyance cursing his features. "An unfortunate experience. Do not fear, her overzealous actions were punished."

He was protecting the demigods. But then why the attacks? Why all the risk against us? He knew I could handle myself, he had thrown worse at me than the monsters we were facing. He could be lying and just playing the field. But he had sworn on Styx. Which meant that this was to help us, in his own twisted way.

"So that's it then. You kill everyone and take over Olympus, then you just wait around for it all to begin?"

Kronos nodded. "Indeed. The bond can work both ways as you well know. When the time was right, I would have defended my dominion with seven invincible demigods. With their respective vices, I would have held complete control over them and eliminated the threat."

It made sense now. Twisted, Kronos sense, but sense nonetheless. Except…

"Why are you telling me this?"

Kronos turned his attention back to me, an all too familiar skeletal smile forming on his skull.

"As I said, before you and your nemesis landed, my plan was almost complete. But now you have entered the equation, and an alternative has crossed into my grasp."

A new option. Something somehow more appealing than simply conquering Olympus. And Luke and I were at its heart. Kronos turned around, hands folded neatly behind his back, staring off into the night sky with a forlorn tone.

"I recall the eve of your demise. You were shattered; anyone who dared draw near to your aid was vanquished in an instant. I shared your pain, your desperation. Alas, I did not see it for what it truly was until your father had stolen you from me."

I managed to shake my head, only to realize he couldn't see me. "He saved me."

There was a small pause. "Indeed. Perseus… I forgive you."

My mind didn't seem to understand those words, not when they were coming from him. But those golden orbs were turning back to me now, inhuman emotion washing over me as he went on, voice low and cold.

"I do not take treachery lightly. Those who crossed me were struck down. Your exploits lost me a general and a lieutenant, sent your half-blood kin to rebels in secret, even lead you to sabotage your own assignments. When I learned the full scope of your treason and saw Poseidon take you, the world felt my rage. That was my own folly."

The titan paced away, looking away in shame. No, mock shame. Or real shame. After all these years, I couldn't read my former master, he was too calculating. This seemed to open for him. But he couldn't lie to me.

"Loyalty is something I value. It is your fatal flaw, and when I pushed too hard, it was only a matter of time before you fell away. Because above anything else, above my Titans Wrath, above the Fallen, above the Hero of Olympus, you are still nothing more than a survivor. What you did, you did to survive. So, I ask for your forgiveness now my child."

I think the curb stomp battle must have knocked a few brain cells loose, I had to have misheard what he had said. "What?"

Kronos kneeled a few feet away, brushing away the debris from my last attack to get a clearer view of me.

"Time heals all wounds. We made our mistakes in the name of survival. Let us begin again. I only wish for the destruction of Olympus. You may have this town. You can have all of them, you can save every demigod- in fact, I am counting on that. You can still have your true desire; you can still escape your fate. Do not throw away your life for them. Join me Perseus."

This had happened before. Kronos had never lied to me, it's true, but I had lied to myself when I had been willing to join him. I had to survive, I had to make sure everyone else got out fine this time. I wasn't going to make the same mistakes again.

"I can't-"

Kronos cut me off, his influence killing the words even as they slipped past my lips.

"You are in no condition to be making decisions. Take some time, I have plenty to spare. And when you recognize what is truly important…"

He extended his hand, cruel light and sand burning into existence and forming a small, golden key. He reached out delicately, plucking it out of the air, and placed it into my hand. One of his claws scraped against my manacle as he pulled away, and I yelped, pain searing through me as a golden lock burned into the black metal.

"I feel no explanation is needed for my gift. Consider its use against the _gifts_ your gods have bestowed upon you."

The key scorched my palm, this small chunk of metal throwing me through yet another loop tonight. Kronos had literally handed me the key to my freedom. I didn't want to, but my brain screamed in joy; I could escape, I could end all of this. And walk right back to Kronos, for whatever he had waiting for me. No, I would run this time, no one would find me, I would be free- **_c_** _Ow_ ** _aR_** _D_.

I dropped the key, forcing myself not to see the Titan. I was better than this. I had to be better than this. I wouldn't make the same mistake twice. Something crashed in the distance, and Kronos' spell seemed to dispel. With a lurch, I twisted around, spotting lighting zig-zagging up from the center of town, a wave of monsters illuminated in the flash. And there on the rooftops- gods no!

"Oh dear. It seems Kampê was not the only zealot amongst my ranks. Your friends seem to be in trouble."

Riptide had to do as a makeshift crutch as I pushed myself up, too exhausted to pull any more power from the water. There were roars and animalistic screeches as more lightning crackled into existence, my friends struggling to stay up in the air against a swarm. A wave of tiny shapes swooped low, catching Jason off guard, another blast lighting up the group before they started falling.

"No!"

Even as I surged forward, tripping and slipping to get closer, they fell out of the sky, the victorious roars joined by screams now. Oh, gods no, no, no! I tried getting up again, but grip stronger than marble kept me pinned down with ease.

Kronos hummed down at me in disappointment. "Come now, do you really think you are any good to them like this? It is too late to help them now."

I tried to shake out of his grip, his talons cutting into my flesh through my shirt unwilling to stop even as the lightning stopped showing up, and the screams started dying out, screeching louder for one split second only to go silent.

And then there was one last scream, shaking my very soul, and I heard the monsters cheer and hoot, stomping the ground in celebration. This couldn't have happened. No. No…

"No need to look so glum my child. It is too late to help them _now_. There is still a chance to save your companions."

A chance? I wasn't a necromancer I couldn't bring people back from the dead, what the hell was he- I let out an airy yelp, doubling over as what felt like molten lead sizzled and flared straight into my soul. The world sharpened back to crystal clarity, pure energy cascading through my left eye and filling me with determination.

Oh. Right. That's what he meant. I heard Kronos chuckled, felt a cold claw pat my shoulder in pride.

"That's my boy."

The town was being overwhelmed in a wave of gold, a burning sandstorm washing over every building, drowning out the entire world in cruel light. Power exploded out from me, the gold falling away into darkness, as even Kronos started dissolving into nothingness.

He was nothing but a smile now, golden orbs over a golden smile in the void, all of existence tumbling away. Even without trying he had just won this battle, and it was all my fault. **_c_** _Ow_ ** _aR_** _D_. I wasn't a hero. I was nothing but an over glorified puppet.

"I will kill you," I whispered, turning away from the gold.

And then the void took over everything.

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Luke POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Towne Square, Approximately 37 Feet Off The Ground**

 **13** days, **4** hours, **29** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

I was about to die for the umpteenth time this week. And once again my dying words were going to be 'I fucking told you so'. For every freak we dusted, two more took their place, we were being overrun at all angles. Jason was doing his best to keep us up in the air with mini-cyclones, but we couldn't get away from the stymphalian flock, they were circling to close.

It was screwing with my mind to be hovering up here, buffeted by the wind in an attempt to keep me safe from either the metal talons and beaks of the birds or the spears and tusks of the Colchis Boars rampaging only a few feet below us.

Lightning crackled around us and there was a flash of blonde; not Jason but Annabeth, throwing herself out of the air, waves of monster dust billowing after her as she fell. She landed on a monster's shoulders, her knife carving down its spine as she alighted on the ground, lightning fast jabs dusting a pair of beefy satyrs in the blink of an eye.

"Keep them in the air!" She ordered Jason, a blonde blur leading the boars around in circles.

My stomach objected as we were tossed higher into the air, Jason pulling us close as he pulled a bigger cyclone together, trying to keep the birds at bay. I spotted a cyclops pulling back his arm and shouted a warning, but it was too late, a bronze spear was sailing straight at Jason's chest.

The spear veered madly off course only a few feet away, Hazel's hand outstretched as she sent it spiraling back into the earth. Maybe training these idiots wasn't a total waste of time after all. Frank and Piper were back to back, using each other to glide through the air, knocking away anything that came close.

But it wasn't enough. A flock of the birds came in from above, and Jason was knocked out of the air, the rest of us coming down with him. He managed to send us one last gale as we crash landed, lightening the fall but sending us sprawling. Lightning crackled around from him as he started fighting off the Stymphalian Birds only for two cyclops to move in.

Annabeth was in the middle of it before we could move, stabbing and hacking away to keep them together. We didn't have time to worry about them though, the boars were moving in, fiery breath melting the asphalt as they bulldozed their way through their own troops to get us.

"Piper!" Frank yelled, running after her as a hellhound shook her around.

I did my best to keep everyone together, tugging Hazel around by the back of her armor as we made our way over to Annabeth and Jason. There were two screams from my left where Frank and Piper had been, and I heard Hazel cry out, but I was too focused on getting to the others.

There was a whistle, and I grunted as an arrow cracked against my armor. I threw Hazel and I down, managing to pull up a shield in time to block another barrage. This was too much; we were going down. Where the hell was Percy, we needed help!

But no help was coming. No Percy, no divine intervention to save our asses as this horde moved in, cutting off any chance of escape we had ever had. The monsters gave a victorious roar, and I saw Annabeth, a mess of blood and dust, rushing towards us. An arrow beat her to it, and I staggered, glaring at the shaft sticking out a weak point in my chest.

"Seriously?" I managed before the surprise turned to pain and I stumbled, Hazel's weight throwing me to the ground.

More arrows flew overhead as Annabeth finally arrived, trying to protect us even as five or six cyclops moved in, clubs and axes swinging. Hazel's hand started feeling cold in mine, only now seeing the huge gash across her neck and chest, armor stained red. She was already gone. I saw two hellhounds fighting over Frank in the distance, bile rising up in my throat.

This was how it was going to end. We were really going to die now, there was no last-minute saves happening today, we were out of miracles. As much as I hated it, in those last few seconds as everything went black and I saw Annabeth fall, regret surged through me one final time. Regret for all the promises I'd made Percy. Regret for not trying harder with dad. For having another chance with these idiots and throwing it away.

For everything.

The night erupted in monstrous cheers and hoots, the beasts stomping the ground in celebration as we all fell, a toothy nightmare grinning at me as it loomed closer. I stabbed it in the throat, the closest monsters giving an excited jeer as they realized one of us was still alive. Agony came in the shapes of spears and swords, and the world vanished from the pain.

I was gone, and the world was black.

I was falling, we all were, the pull of the Underworld beckoning us down, away from the cruel bonds of earth. Pain was replaced with numbness as everything I ever was crumbled away, death embracing me with open arms.

And then there was gold.

Numb was replaced with burning heat, and life surged through my veins. The Underworld was blasted away, golden tendrils stealing me away, forcing me back together. I wanted to scream, everything burned, there was only gold, cruel gold.

We were up in the air, falling again, Jason was waving his hand to send us a gale. We hit the ground, shell-shocked and shaky, still reeling. What kind of cruel déjà vu was this? The cyclops were moving in on Jason again, he was raising his hands, trying to defend himself, it was all happening over again, we were going to die.

The world exploded as a hurricane roared into existence, icy water shredding the hordes around us to ribbons in the shriek of the wind. Water poured over us, scrapes and pecks healing in an instant, and there was Percy in the eye of the storm, the fury of Poseidon steamrolling the enemy. The monsters closest to him dissolved into sea foam, others getting filleted by razor sharp water, and any lucky enough to escape those being ripped apart by the wind.

The Colchis Boars struggled to stay grounded, charging at Percy, but he caught them first, giving a wave of his arm. It was hard to see in the storm, but with each step, the iron boars rusted, their gears cracking and their hide shattering in ruddy chunks. With a final boom, Percy let loose hell, a wave of water knocking the last monsters into oblivion, and leveling the buildings around us.

As quickly as it had started, the hurricane was over, the waterlogged carnage the only hint that it had ever existed in the first place. I stared around us, not sure what to think. How…? What the fuck had just happened?

Piper was helping Frank to his feet and Jason ad Annabeth were wiping themselves off. I had to do a double-take when I saw Hazel offering a hand, for a second remembering her covered in blood with lifeless eyes.

"What just happened?" Piper asked, doing her best to support a very pale Frank.

Jason, Piper, Frank, and Hazel all looked to me but all I could do was shrug, noticing Annabeth stomping over to Percy. He was kneeling on the ground, an agonized grimace on his face, trying to cover his left eye.

I nodded towards them and Hazel seemed to get the message, the whole gang working their way over.

I couldn't hear what they were saying as we got closer, but I caught snippets between Jason checking on everybody.

"Damn it… you're more susceptible than anyone else here… know better than to pull off a stunt like this! … You can't give in again." They went silent as we walked up, Annabeth giving us comforting smiles while Percy just stared at the ground.

Jason gave a whistle, surveying the destruction around us. "I'm glad you're on our side Perce."

Percy's grin was empty even as Hazel laughed, nodding along with him. Frank didn't look so pleased, looking around at the carnage with distaste.

"We're going to have to take care of this. We can't just leave the town like-"

Percy cut him off with a curt nod "We'll see what we can do later. Let's go home."

Frank and Piper frowned, exchanging worried glances at his tone as Percy got back to his feet, starting to march us back home. It was a long, quiet march, with Percy and Annabeth leading the group, Frank and Piper taking second, with Jason, Hazel, and I leading up the rear.

Piper was the first to try and broach the silence with a, "So… do you guys know what that was back there? I mean I'm not going crazy, right? We… died."

Percy gave a harsh laugh. "You don't look dead to me."

Frank tried to back her up. "You're not crazy Pipes. I remember that too. Something happened. There was that light, and then-"

"I don't know what you guys think you saw but nothing happened!" Percy snapped, "Probably too much salt in your eyes, I'll try not to go overboard next time."

We stayed quiet for a long time after that, almost afraid to talk really. Annabeth stayed close to him, trying to hold his hand and bump his shoulder but he stayed out of her range, silent and steadfast. What the hell was going on with him now? What had he done?

"Percy you should-"

"You should shut the hell up Castellan." Percy snapped again, turning back.

He yelped, cursing and clutching his eye stumbling a little to the side before regaining his balance. Annabeth caught him forced him to pull his hand away, peering into his face. Before he could cover it again, I saw his left eye, the normal sea green spliced with cold sulfur, almost gold patterns seared across the iris.

And then he covered it again, giving us all a tortured glance before stalking off into the Shoebox, leaving us all scared and worried.

* * *

**There's a lot going on here so don't worry if you're confused, I hope I can answer any questions you have. If you read back, a lot of things should make sense, and if not we're finally getting to a lot of set up anyways. Any ideas for who/what Percy was fighting at the begginning of the chapter? What do you think of Annabeth's POV? Comment and let's chat! Anyways, ciao have a good morning/afternoon/day!**


	22. Wise Girl

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or any of Rick Riordan's amazing characters**

* * *

**Wise Girl**

Piper POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Shoebox, Training Room**

**12** days, **14** hours, **18** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Welcome back to the exciting adventures of Piper's Perils! On our show today, we witness the ultimate showdown between Perilous Piper- who is definitely not the daughter of a useless love goddess- and Witch Hazel the super-talented-and-handling-the-fact-that-we're-demigods-and-part-of-a-secret-world-world-that's-trying-to-kill-us-way-to-well!

Our deathmatch sounded too corny to be real when I think of it like this. Our whole situation transforms into one of the B-rate superhero comedies dad used to star in. It's harder to panic in a world where everything ends up sunny side up. It wasn't so hard to picture Percy in tights and a cape either, giving us a rousing speech full of puns.

Too bad that wasn't the case. Apart from the puns that was-Percy never seemed to run out of those. He was on the other side of the training room, sparring with Annabeth. Their style was one of perfection- the strength, flow, and unpredictability of the ocean merging with the precision and grace of a true war god.

They were real heroes, blurs of fatal motion, always ready for action. Annabeth matched Percy step for step, their dance never-ending. It was difficult not to stare; they were the leading roles of our unfortunate troupe and it showed.

She was so at ease even now, so tranquil, after everything she had been through all the years, all the chaos that had shattered her life. I wasn't afraid of anyone here. There were real monsters out there, threats that had our town in a choke hold with the world not far behind.

Last night- that trauma roller coaster of death and déjà vu mind flips- ended any doubts. What had Hazel demanded before we fought the hydra? Either I had to go back to being an airhead or a kickass girl. I tried to get the hang of this before, I thought it would be easy.

Hazel kicked my legs out from under me and my back hit the mat with a solid thump, still deep in thought. I didn't want this world. Seeing Drew reduced to scarlet scraps of viscera was more gore than I could ever handle in my life, let alone the horror of whatever happened at last night's ambush. I was here without a choice, but from now on I'd be damned if I was a damsel in distress.

Time for a recast, this kickass extra was ready to go. Hazel didn't have a chance to move in, I tripped her, leaping onto her back and trapping her arms under my legs.

"Go for the kill!" Luke hooted, observing us from outside the ring.

Luke was our acting referee of the day. Wonder of wonders, no one wanted to be his partner, and as our seventh member, he was the odd man out. I suppose I wasn't the only recast in our adventure. The position of snarky, good looking blonde boy was taken by an all too eager Jason.

What wasn't to like? He was already reaching out to us, easing us newbies into the ways of the new world. Not to mention he was head over heels for Percy. It was funny to watch him doing his best to train Frank and spar, only to perk up and showboat every time the ravenette looked his way. It was kind of adorable, especially since every time Luke noticed, his pout grew that much more.

Things were normal again at the Shoebox. Luke was growing distant, Percy was perky again, and the race was on to the end of the world. Percy was almost too normal, to be honest; the Aphrodite effect had faded and his smiles and jokes came out too fast, compensating for his snap after saving us.

Hazel slapped the ground in surrender and I helped her up, glowing with pride as she cheered for me.

"Next time cheat, we don't give up." Luke snapped at her, moving on to Jason and Frank.

We stuck our tongues out behind his back, giggling and punching each other playfully when he failed to notice. Training ended with a final group cooldown led by Annabeth- gods she could kill with her yoga poses- and we all finally collapsed in the kitchen, sweaty and exhausted.

Well, most of us. Jason was bouncy enough to run a marathon or two and Luke was lounging across the countertop, bored out of his mind.

"Let's go over the details." Annabeth murmured, reclining back on Percy's shoulder.

It was still jarring how intimate they were, but I knew it didn't mean anything. There was love between them, platonic though, unconditional and unwavering. Besides, Annabeth thought I was cute, and Percy had fallen hard for someone else; it was obvious even though he hid the tells so well.

My brain stuttered to a halt as soon as that thought ended, cheeks burning. Where had that come from?

_**Useless love goddess indeed…** _

That voice again, the same capricious giggler who helped me CharmSpeak Frank! Aphrodite?

_**Nothing's fair in love and war. These ties that bind will save you; sometimes they just need a little tug dearie…** _

I swear I felt someone pat my head and boop the tip of my nose, the scent of fresh roses and rich chocolate wafting away and pulling me back into the conversation.

"… which led me to Big Cone Boreads Creamery. They have no freezers, no generators, nothing; something else keeps the ice cream cold and the backroom frozen."

Jason hummed, spinning crumbs across the counter in tiny twisters. "Aquillo then? We're going to trouble if the god of the North Wind is siding with Saturn."

Hazel noticed my lost expression, leaning in to whisper "Annabeth found out where the Bond Monsters are, this is Leo's!"

Guess all that recon behind the scenes really had paid off. King Midas had been an easy catch and the Empousa were always hanging around, it wasn't tough to hunt them down. But Percy and Luke had only stumbled on Charybdis by sheer luck. Maybe this time things would run smoothly.

"I doubt Boreas would be involved, he has too much to lose." Percy bit his lip, pen spinning through his fingers, "On the other hand, I'd put money on one of his kids, they're total hosers. Kronos would have a field day if he could get his hands on one of them."

"As for Wrath-Nico," Annabeth clarified, "Kampê is bound to him. Kronos keeps her holed up in Othrys, but she breaks out for raids whenever she can."

Kampê? Sounded like a bad stage diva name. And some monster was raiding? No one had gone missing- had they? I've only broken Lust's spell for a few days, this Kampê thing could have taken whole families and I wouldn't have batted an eyelash.

"And Pride is out in the woods?"

Annabeth nodded. "Kronos isn't a fan of her, she doesn't respect him. Just follow the spiders. She's well hidden, keeps to herself really. As for Envy, well…"

"Off the coast?" Percy offered.

Annabeth pursed her lips; "Yes. I believe so. I'm afraid I don't have any leads on Envy, to be honest. Until you mentioned the presence you felt in the sewers, I wasn't even sure where to look. But there is most certainly something dangerous out there, out of our reach now."

"Hey brainiac, how are we supposed to hunt it?" Luke huffed, waving his manacled arm lazily, "Stylish as they are, these cute little guys will light us up like a Christmas Tree if we cross the town line."

Annabeth had a full grimace, golden locks twirling around her fingertips. "I would assume the gods would allow you to cross in this situation. Or perhaps it is intended that we fight in your stead."

We might have to fight one of those things? No, I wasn't going to be afraid. Percy and Luke had taken them all on by themselves, we'd have a full team. Then again, we had a full squad last night too and if Percy hadn't shown up…

Luke muttered something under his breath, stomping back to the boy's room and slamming the door behind him.

"Drama queen party of one?" Percy mumbled, rolling his eyes.

Jason laughed too hard at that joke, earning a beam from Percy.

"Hey Pipes, Frank and I are making a burger run, you in?"

It was barely an invitation- I could tell they wanted to be alone. Annabeth had suggested the rule of three to keep people safe when we were out and about, but the diner was just up the road. Between his wall of muscle and her witchcraft, they had this covered.

"I think I'll stick around, thanks though."

Hazel winked at us, strapping her sword to her side as Frank helped her into her golden jacket, pulling it over her body armor. Those two were going to be such a cute couple.

"Stay safe, beat up old women, if people in vans offer you candy grab as much as you can! And don't touch the platy-" Hazel and frank laughed off Percy's downhill warnings, heading down the road. "Well, now they're going to get eaten by a platypus. Oh whale."

Annabeth and I groaned (half worried for a moment that he was being serious) while Jason cracked up again. Perseus seemed to notice, giving him a confused, but flattered smile and scratching the back of his head. Annabeth volunteered Jason to help her clean the training room, Percy and I still chilling on the couch, too lazy to be bothered. Or at least I was; Percy had started to stand up, only to earn a long, meaningful look from Annabeth.

"He has a crush on you, you know."

Percy blinked, sea green eyes growing wide, snapping back and forth between Jason and me.

"You're kidding, right?"

He was hard to read; I could tell Jason was crushing on him, but Percy's emotions were murky. When love came to him, it would be painfully obvious, for everyone involved- but for now, it was all about waiting.

"It's why he keeps laughing at your stupid puns, he thinks you're cute."

Percy gave a disbelieving hum, glancing back to Jason in the training room. "Hey, sparky!"

Jason looked back, a million-watt smile already in place.

"How do cats keep law and order?" Percy waited for a beat, and then "Claw enforcement!"

Jason busted up, snorting and rolling his eyes. I could see Annabeth behind him, literally beating her head against the wall.

"See, I told you."

Percy started to nod, then shook his head grimacing. "Nah, that wasn't a fair test. I mean, come on, that joke was hilarious."

I stared at him incredulously. It was going to take an army to drag Percy out of deep denial like that, better to pop his painfully punny bubble another day. Besides, terrible as they were, it was better than the resentment and guilt he radiated last night.

"Do you still have Dionysus' boon?" Annabeth called, placing a weighted barbell back in place as though it were nothing.

Percy nodded before realizing she was facing away and responding "Yeah, it's in the fridge."

Annabeth scrunched up her nose, raising an eyebrow. "You keep a bottle of Dionysus favorite wine, his literal 'I owe you one' just rolling around in the fridge? Gods, you're such a seaweed brain."

Percy mimicked her under his breath, posing innocently when she turned back around. "At least that means we have Dionysus' vote locked down. Aphrodite always goes for you as well- what did you do to get on her sweet side?"

"I'm definitely not on her sweet side," Percy muttered darkly.

Jason finished stocking the weapon cabinet, asking; "Why are the gods voting for Percy?"

"It's part of the endgame of any Moirai Trial," Percy explained, making space as Annabeth and Jason returned. "At the end of any Trial, the gods vote on whether we learned our lesson and deserve to live again."

That… kind of sucked. Even if Percy and Luke saved the world, then there was still a chance they would get knocked off without a second thought. That really wasn't fair, what kind of world was this we were getting pulled into? Then again, to even end this fun little game, one of them had to die.

"As far as I can see, Percy has five votes riding on him. Six actually, since Poseidon will be allowed to vote this time. Zeus and Hermes will vote against you. Hera usually follows Zeus, however, if Zeus pulls anything over the next few days, she may vote for you just to spite him."

Percy nodded adding "Artemis is a maybe, I can't remember how my last visit with the Wild Hunt ended. And Hades, well…"

It was more than a little weird discussion the god of Olympus voting for Percy like in some perverted game show. The more I heard about the so-called mighty Olympians, the more they came off as over the top reality TV family's, diva through and through.

"If it's you who helps Leo, Hephaestus may vote for you-he technically owes us for the Mount Saint Helens incident. Demeter typically abstains in all Trials, but since you have ties to Nico and Hades, that may change."

Percy groaned into his hands, flopping forward and hiding his face "Loving the pep talk of all the maybes and people who want to kill me. You missed your true calling, isn't there an election you should be rigging?"

Annabeth gave a bell-like laugh, pulling Percy away to go over charts, a twelve-step program to appease the gods and a very, very long list of why some of them wanted him dead. It wasn't fair. If they failed, we all died. And if they won, they could still die. There was no happy ending to this Moirai Trial, only oodles of death and misery.

Why was this our world?

I spent a while moping around, trying to think out loud to see if Aphrodite was listening. Jason and I played cars and chatted until Frank and Hazel came back, blushing and bashful as ever. It was normal. Our painful, twisted, boring normal.

Of course, normal also included the sudden violet ribbons that snaked out of Annabeth's brain, silky strands of unreality waving lazily through the wall and out into the world. Everyone went still as she closed her eyes, fresh tearstains on her cheeks and a humble expression gracing her gorgeous features. She nodded at Percy, a quiet 'thank you' escaping her lips. With a delicate hand, she reached out, twisting the vibrant Bond around her hand.

Severing my bond was all a blur, and when Frank broke his, I was still reeling from the skeleton attack. Watching Annabeth sever hers, hand after hand uprooting more and more of the ethereal wisps, was something else entirely.

They grew thicker as she pulled them from deeper, the ends branching out as they were exposed to the world. With a final, gentle twist, the daughter of Athena wrench out the Bond. She was sweating profusely and struggling not to open her eyes. Pride was a killer- when you were as invincible as she was, it was easy to see the problem.

Admitting her victory, the usual congratulations we gave, the freedom and emotions- they would only make it worse for her.

"You can let go, Wise Girl," Percy whispered, entwining their fingers with a comforting squeeze.

Annabeth's hand trembled the Bond twitching and writhing lazily. Her hand snapped open robotically and the Bond slithered away, strands desperately clinging to her fingers only to slide away into purple nothingness.

The room stayed quiet for the longest time, Annabeth's staggered breath speaking more than any of us could right then. She looked hurt and tears were still sliding away, hidden beneath a sheen of perspiration.

"You need to rest," Percy ordered gently.

He looked guilty and equally hurt, pain circling in those sea-green eyes. Whatever they had done to break Pride's hold on her must have been brutal for the both of them. Annabeth clung to him, Percy leaning in on instinct to support her; two sides of the same coin, always there for the other.

It was touching, something so pure born from those so lost and angry.

"Do you want me to take her?" I offered, standing and taking a few tentative steps.

"No." It was a struggle not to flinch at how hoarse Annabeth sounded, "Get Luke suited up and ready. Please."

Wounded pride-how did you fix that? Pride and self-confidence were intertwined, damaging one would almost always harm the other. How did you help someone without making it worse, without making her relapse, but still help?

The two vanished into the girl's dorm, their quiet murmurs falling silent as I barged into the boy's room. I had a split second of seeing Luke rifling through Jason's belongings, pulling out a pocket knife and shoving it in his pocket.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Luke glanced back, snorting when he saw me and stuffing Jason's stuff back under his bed. "I'm cleaning out that little pickpocket. Kids got serious kleptomania, the second he sees something someone else has, he gets his sticky little fingers on it."

Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I saw Jason pocket one of the shinier knives when he was helping Annabeth in the cleaning room. And I definitely know he had 'borrowed' Hazel's gold charm for a test. Not the time to focus on that though, I was on a mission from the most beautiful girl in the world. Even if that mission was forcing me to talk to this hot jerk.

"Annabeth broke her Bond, saddle up and get ready to move out."

I didn't stick around to hear him complain, quietly closing the door so I wouldn't bother Annabeth and hopping back on the couch. Percy emerged a second later, giving me a nod as he started suiting up.

"Hazel, you're in charge while we're gone. Stay here and keep training, but make sure to keep an eye on Annabeth. Don't let her do anything I would do, okay?"

Hazel saluted and Jason raised a hand. "Shouldn't one or two of us come with? I figure another fight would be better with greater numbers."

Percy hesitated for another second, strapping on a light breastplate before shaking his head. "Not yet. I don't want to risk you guys unless it's absolutely necessary. Besides, it's just as important for you to stay here and practice for a real fight."

Jason seemed satisfied with that answer, heading to the kitchen as Hazel started putting together an emergency supply kit. We would join the fight eventually. Percy had faith in us, and that meant more than he realized. Sure, there was still some tension between us, but that was going to end. We were stuck here, might as well make some friends for the ride.

"Percy?" Frank twiddled his thumbs, stuck between meeting his gaze and looking away; "I was thinking it over, trying to think about Greek and Roman mythology, but I couldn't figure it out. What does that mean anyway? To be a Titans Wrath."

That perked everyone's interest. Luke walked out, taking in the scene, before grabbing another armor pack and suiting up alongside him. Percy fidgeted under our gaze, starting to stretch out and flip Riptide over his palm.

"Really, it's just a fancy title Kronos gave to his greatest warrior. You root out rebels, get thrown in dogfights, assassinations, that sort of thing. If you're a Titans Wrath you're at the top of the food chain, you can take on anything that comes your way. Honestly, there's not much to go on, there's only ever been two Titans Wrath and all it meant for me was a lot more war."

That was actually kind of impressive in a terrifying way. We all knew how strong Percy was, it made sense for him to be such a monster. No, he wasn't a monster. He was just as human as I was, he made his mistakes, terrifying as they were. I wasn't afraid.

"So, there's only been two? Who was the other guy?" I leaned over the countertop, poking an ambrosia packet mindlessly.

"Typhon."

Luke did a double take. "Hold up-Typhon? The almost destroyed Olympus with his bare hands and single-handedly beat the entire Greek pantheon to a pulp Typhon?"

"It makes sense." Jason countered "Saturn was scattered back then, but his influence remained. After the Giant War, he manipulated Gaea into bearing a child with Tartarus, the ultimate weapon. He personally ensured that Typhon would aid him as his tool of revenge of gods, a representation of his wrath again the enemy"

"And now you're the Titans Wrath." Frank seemed a little awed "Did Kronos think you were better? I mean, are you stronger than him?"

Percy just flashed a smile and headed towards the door. "Let's hope we never find out. Come on Luke, we have some spiders to stalk!"

"Geeze, slow down, will you?" Luke complained, making a pit stop in the fridge.

I almost didn't notice Jason sneak out the front door behind Percy. Between Frank and Hazel debating whether Percy could take out Typhon and Luke tossing food out of the fridge, he almost managed to run out unnoticed. I watched him through the window catch up to Percy, laughing and showing off that million-watt grin.

A few seconds went by, a fist bump happened, Percy said something funny- and then Jason leaned in, pulling Percy into a hug. Percy went stiff, and when Jason pulled away, Percy stared up at him with confusion.

Jason seemed nervous, opening his mouth to say something when Luke finally made his way out. Faster than I could see, Percy had grabbed him by the arm and was dragging him away down the street, leaving Jason alone on the curb just outside, staring after him, a yearning look in his eyes the whole time.

We had a green-eyed monster in our midst, and in love and war, Envy was going to be a wildcard.

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**PLEASE READ!**

**If you're interested, upon realizing how much prior chapters sucked, I did some major rewrites, editing, cleaning them up, and tying back plot points and loose ends that were there, rereading would be a great expereince and one I hope answers any lingering questions you may have!**

**Sorry about the wait, college is so much fun!(NOT)! Anyways, this ended up being more of a filler chapter than I intended but I still hope that you enjoy! As I said, did some rewrites and everything before now so hope you can get a chance to go back and look it over. If you have any questions or comments, please review or message me, I love hearing back! Thank you everyone for all the support so far, and I'm going to try to have the next chapter out before next week (No promises sadly) Have a wonderful morning/day/night!**

**Akira Daiyamondo Suta; Percy is paired up with Nico, right now they're just working through everything while I push them towards the less murdery aspects of their relationship**


	23. Superbia & Humilitas

**Disclaimer; I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians**

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**Superbia & Humilitas**

Percy POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Wyld Woods**

 **12** days, **7** hours, **36** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

I like to follow lots of things; ice cream trucks, conga lines, even Annabeth, and truth but told, Nico. Following trails of creepy crawlies through a monster infested forest was not one of those things. Sure, I wasn't as petrified of spiders as my Wise Girl, but if you fought enough steroid abusing tarantulas and got web tangled in your hair or wadded up in your mouth, you learned to give them a wide berth.

We were close to Pride, the air was practically swelling with ego, traces of Arachne's arrogance twisting from the trees. Luke seemed to thrive off it, bickering the whole time, our voices sailing into the silent woods.

"And what about Envy? I'm not going to let those idiots get themselves killed for us just because the gods are pricks."

"Careful there, someone might think you care," I warned, slowing to gather my bearings.

A cluster of gray and brown scuttled across branches above, their sheer numbers shaking off loose leaves and twigs. There had been nothing the first hour of our search, tromping quietly deeper and deeper into the Wyld woods. Then we saw it, a strand of pearly white silk, thicker than my leg and stretching out into the distance.

As we drew close, more strands crisscrossed above our heads, billions of spiders scuttling across, spread over trees and rocks, all crawling west, to the center of the web.

"All I'm saying is that the gods could care less, we're meat bags they can toss around the map whenever they please. They don't know what it's like to be mortal, they don't understand like you and I do Percy. We know what really matters."

I had to restart my brain when I heard that, it almost sounded like a genuine compliment, a hint of empathy, maybe even sympathy. Which was definitely not Luke. Hell, the guy used to literally steal candy from babies!

The only times this old con played nice was when he wanted something.

"We got by on our own, we didn't need gods to tell us what to do or where to go. We had each other and that was enough."

I was biting my tongue to keep from bringing up the thirty-nine billion he had traded me for when he stole the bolt. Despite the _thirty-nine billion_ and one comebacks, all fighting to be heard, I kept quiet, wanting to see where exactly the traitor was going with this.

His voice was almost carefree as he carried on, "I mean we had our rough patch, but friends go through those all the time."

I started to snap back at him but managed to pass it off as a grunt, pretending to trip over my own feet. Rough patch‽ He wanted to glaze over the past and call it a 'rough patch'? Gods he was infuriating, did he want me to stab him? Probably, he was weird like that.

"Easy there, try not to get to banged up before we get to the fun stuff."

His smile made my skin crawl. No wait, that was the spiders dropping down my shirt. But still! The way he looked at me was the same way Kronos appraised me, an expression that counted me as a valuable possession, nothing more. I wished Annabeth was here, I needed her in the same way I needed the headphones that were swinging around my neck.

I was unbalanced again, teetering on the brink of ultimate, painful doom, and peanut butter. Peanut butter? Gods, I can't even think straight right now, where did that come from? It was the Titan King's fault, the price of my Reset.

The mere thought had my eye blistering with heat, and burning sand sliding across my skin. It was a foreign magic, eating me away from the inside. It was so different from mine, the ocean that ebbed and flowed within my soul.

"Are you alright?" Luke pulled me back, trying to meet my gaze, but I was looking straight through him.

The concern in his voice sent power splintering through my veins, corroding and boiling as it went. No, I was done with hating Luke, I didn't need to feel like this. I forgave him. The past was in the past, there was nothing I could do about it. Disliking the blonde prat for being an enormous git was fine, the urge to smother him under a boulder strapped with dynamite was not.

Emotions and thoughts long buried were being stirred up; the festering wound that was Luke, the confusion Jason had emptied on me, the haunted yearning that di Angelo bled through my dreams. I was remembering _them_ too. A legion of faceless demigods and mortals, stained gold and scarlet.

At this rate, if I didn't pull myself together I was going to shatter into a million pieces, and not even Poseidon would be able to put me back together this time. Almost on cue, a salty breeze came through, so faint this far from the ocean, but enough for now. I wasn't going to fall apart, I had people counting on me, I still had to set things right.

"I'm fine."

Luke paused at my curt tone, studying me intently, then shrugged, giving me an all too friendly pat on the back. "It's just a dream kid, you'll be okay."

How was that supposed to make me feel better? The temperature plummeted around me, magic struggling to let loose and go wild. That was our lie, the bubble we believed in before life went to hell. Luke denied the truth, he didn't accept danger, even when I had cried and begged him to listen.

My dreams come true… Came true now actually. We had both died, armies of monsters had come to kill me, the world had come crashing down on our heads, and worst of all, I had done the unthinkable, I had, I had- No.

It was never just a dream.

Even Nico di Angelo was real; an imaginary friend who I saw in my sleep for as long as I could remember. I can't honestly recall when we met- not in my dreams anyway. He had always been there, my Ghost King. He helped me get by after mom died, teaching me how to live off the streets.

For the life of me, I never recognized him that night at Westover Orphanage. With all the chaos and my deal to save the demigods, I hadn't even truly registered their names, it had all be a rush. But it was really him. Younger for sure, but definitely him.

The present-day Nico seemed closer to the one in my dreams, an early version I only saw once or twice. It was strange knowing someone so intimately and not at all in the same moment. I didn't know the real Nico- not yet anyway.

If we didn't end up dead as doornails, that would change big time. Of course, to get there I had one hell of a fight headed my way… Spoilers, am I right? Perks of being a child of Poseidon, hidden depths and secrets were part of the job description, the past, present, and future were waves crashing in when we slept.

Luke frowned when I didn't chime back with the usual line, charging ahead. More of the web was starting to appear, trees covered with silk strands, wrapped up tighter than iron. We did our best to avoid it- Arachne likely knew we were coming, but at least we could keep some element of surprise. Luke jerked us to a halt, staring up at a huge bulge in the web above.

The silk cocoon was fat and sagging low, a hint of a horn and the tips of a hoof sticking out at odd angles. A snack for later then; what we would be if Arachne won this battle.

"I didn't think Spiderman had a hunting license," Luke muttered, carefully steering us around.

I gave him a look, rolling my eyes. "You see Arachne's appetizer and that's the first thing you think of? We seriously need to get you a sense of humor."

The blonde's frown deepened, raising his hands in surrender "Geeze what's wrong with you? I'm just trying to be friendly."

"Maybe I don't want to be your friend." I snapped, plowing forward.

Way to go Seaweed Brain, start a fight with your partner on a life or death suicide mission! That was a genius idea! Perhaps it was a good thing Annabeth wasn't there, she'd smack me for starting more trouble.

Luke didn't respond though, he was focused, expression blank. That was almost as unnerving as his attempts to get all chummy and friendly. A small, rational voice in the back of my head wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and play nice.

Rationality died to the tune of thirty-nine billion dollars. Wow, I was really bitter about that wasn't I? Maybe reality wasn't the only thing I reset last night.

The setting sun was drowned out by the thick trees and webs, dappled light peeking through tiny holes in the canopy above. I could see the center of her net now, even in the dark around us, an enormous silken fortress made up of hundreds of fallen trees and monolithic boulders.

There was a hollow at the top of a log, spacious enough for something very not human to slide in and out as it pleased. It was impossible to see inside, the dark aperture a practical void in the growing night. We crouched low, Luke pulling out his binoculars while I felt the air around us. There was too much life in this grove, too much moisture to pinpoint anything accurately.

"She's in there, I'm not sure where though. Her webs are messing with the charm." Luke reported, tapping the binoculars thoughtfully.

At least we were in the right place. Twilight spun around us as I watched more spiders file into her den from all sides, vanishing into the white mess.

"How many entrances?"

Luke hummed, tapping the binoculars again and taking another long look. I could actually hear the spiders scuttling into the mesh, doing my best not to shudder as a few crawled over my arms and across the back of my neck.

"Two by my count, as long as she can't squeeze out like the rest of those bugs can."

Alright, we could work with that. The whole hodge-podge structure roughly the size of Midas' shop, enough room to slink and hide around, but not enough for her to stay hidden for very long.

"I'll cover one, you get the other, we'll box her in and meet in the middle."

Luke nodded, standing up and bumping his head on a low branch. It snapped a taut string before he could grab it. The web practically bellowed, reverberating straight into Arachne's den, every single strand buzzing with sound. We stayed frozen, gaze locked on the den, waiting with baited breath. The tone slowly faded, and the web fell still after what seemed like an eternity, leaving the forest deathly quiet.

No Arachne though. The spider queen never appeared, Pride's lair stayed empty and motionless. I actually flinched when Luke finally shifted, moving in towards the back. Guess this was go time then. I popped my headphones in, the volume cranking high right off the bat. Arachne wasn't one to scream, but it was better to be safe than sorry- I couldn't risk shutting down in the middle of this.

There wouldn't be reinforcements for Arachne- I wasn't buying Kronos' explanation for why he hadn't stopped us yet, but I knew for sure that he wouldn't waste any effort to save Pride. The two had never seen eye to eye- Athena's curse hadn't taught Arachne humility, only fueled her arrogance, and there wasn't enough room for more ego on Mount Othrys.

I was honestly a little surprised she was helping Kronos again- during the war, she had insulted him and created an entire "Kronos is Crusty' banner campaign and bake sale (food made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders).

The Titan King had literally stepped on her, plucked off her legs, burned the remains, and tossed the ashes back into Tartarus as an example to the others. Of course, with a chance to be the one and only symbol of Pride and the promise of revenge on Athena and her children would be more than enough to keep her in line.

I slid in through the gap in the web, adjusting to the suffocating darkness inside. The first few steps went up another log, branching off into more cobwebs and stretching deeper into her lair. I felt a buzz behind me, whirling around in time to see the gap pull tight, my exit vanishing before my eyes.

Layers and layers of spider web separated me from the outside world, magical threat strong enough to support a tap dancing elephant or two. Arachne knew she had company, and we wouldn't be leaving until she was dead.

Without her, the web would be nothing but gossamer string, string I could wash away with a snap of my fingers. Now all I needed was a roll of godly newspaper and I could smack this spider straight back to the hell where she belonged.

The floor was a single, long trunk, ending at the branch off, everything else nothing but black web. I did my best to stay on the branch, avoiding the glistening walls and ceiling as I teetered along. I had seen cyclops and giants fall prey to Arachne's traps, getting tangled up here would be game over.

The log bounced and jiggled as I ventured along, giving away my position with every jolt and bump. Something was strumming the web as well, their movements fast and focused. Arachne or Luke? Would she be able to track both of us at the same time? I never really listened to all the facts Annabeth spouted about arachnids, but I wished I had.

Any extra info on spiders would be helpful right about now. At the very least it might make me feel better. The web gave a vicious tug and I nearly lost my footing, reaching out to grab the wall for support before I caught myself.

Oh gods, had that been Luke? I knew better than to touch the web, but he was a moron! Damn it, he probably was stuck to the ceiling, ready to be served up and sucked dry by Arachne. Appealing as the image was, I wasn't about to let that jerk die on me.

The den was a maze of sticky gauze, every turn led right back to the start. It was like one of those carnival funhouses, only not as fun. Not that they were really fun to start with. Plus, they had mirrors and weird glass that you couldn't see until you had smacked your face into it and knocked yourself out. Not that I had ever done that or anything. On second thought, this was _almost_ as bad as one of those stupid carnival funhouses. The only passages left were pure webbing at this point, I'd be trapped instantly.

Unless… I couldn't wash away the web, but maybe I didn't have to. I popped a water bubble into existence, dropping it onto the web. It bounced and jiggled, but Arachne's magic didn't keep it in place or pop it-the water swished and sloshed, sliding with ease. Bingo, ten points to Percy!

I leapt on, the bubbles rock solid under my feet as I skated down, down into the depths of Pride. The den was opening up into a series of holes and nests, the scrappy look was vanishing. The web here had been pulled together to form beautifully intricate patterns, perfectly placed apertures letting the fading light play around in the room, showing off the landscapes and sculptures that would make the Muses weep lining her halls.

Only those sculptures weren't sculptures. More than one unfortunate soul had been snagged in the spider queens web. We would save everyone we could when this was over. Everyone who wasn't already gone.

It wasn't as bad as I had expected really. Pride must barely be scraping by, apart from a few stags, there were only a handful of mortals and demigods trapped. That was Pride for you though. Only accepting the best, the highest standard available. Even Arachne's food had to pass the test, to be worthy of being consumed.

I'd love to be humble right now, but the thought of two champion demigods trapped in a giant web sounded like a golden opportunity on a silver platter, a prize worth the effort. She would do her best to keep us alive, trophies of her latest conquest. For now, at least.

There was movement on my left and I swung Riptide, the blue-hued bronze tinting the closest room in light.

"Luke!"

I couldn't hear my own sloshing footsteps as I slid about to where the outline of my partner hung, feet swinging from the ceiling, freshly cocooned and ready for feasting. Damn, Arachne worked fast! It might not be too late if I drenched him there was still a chance I could pull him out. If not I would be alone in this until Pride was dead and buried.

My feet skidded and sloshed as I swung around to keep the doorway in sight. I doused him, praying this would work.

"Just work with me here, don't stru-"

Luke was wet. Why was that sending me through a double take? My hands were frozen on his motionless head, trying to figure out why that was bugging me. Luke got wet all the time, big deal.

Except Luke had absorbed Charybdis' magic. My power shouldn't be able to touch him. Which meant that…

I leapt away, managing to pull a hand free, my other wrist snagged to the side of the blonde's head. Only it wasn't blonde, my water had washed the feeble color away to glistening white. A silk spider trap, a perfect likeness, almost impossible to notice until it was too late in the low light.

Even passed out and five miles away, I could practically hear Annabeth facepalming at my Seaweed Brain, struggling to wriggle and squirm away. The sticky strings were enveloping my hand, fingers barely poking out of the soft material, resisting every desperate stab and blast I threw at it.

I gave a mighty tug, stumbling back into the corner, demigod senses tingling a moment too late. Webs shot out from the ceiling, a white noose clamping around my neck and yanking me off the ground. I choked and spluttered, my other free hand going to my throat only to stick to it, more and more webbing spinning out from above, tugging me in all directions.

My eyes rolled back, the delicate strands stealing the breath from my lungs. I could hold my breath longer than anyone, but even I had my limits, especially when new threads constricted against my chest, squeezing me out the way you rolled toothpaste out of a tube.

She appeared now, confident I was secure- a chitin armor face and torso, grimy hair covering black arachnid features and mandibles, glittering beady voids leering out at me from the den.

"All too easy. Sleep, son of Poseidon." Arachne chittered.

There was a final, vicious wringing of threads, and I was gone.

**Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X-Ψ**

"Percy?"

The air as warm, the aroma of good Italian cooking was wafting through the air. I wanted to open my eyes, my heart demanded that I find that voice. I didn't though, the world was spinning dangerously, threatening to collapse. Weak candlelight flickered behind my eyelids, and a sudden weight sagged on our couch beside me, a soft, scarred hand sliding into mine.

"You're dreaming again babe."

Those slender fingers gave me a squeeze, instinct telling me to entwine my own digits with theirs, squeezing back. They hummed, a hand playing with my hair absently, the sound and feel anchoring me to a home I didn't belong in.

My heart beat a million miles a minute as they traced invisible patterns across my skin, throwing their legs over my lap and leaning in, resting their head in the crook of my neck.

"You look like hell."

It was a scolding, resigned tone, one that knew I could take care of myself but still worried and wanted me safe and sound.

"Arachne." I choked out, voice echoing around the room.

We still needed to decorate this place. I had this room memorized; I could see the sea green walls, the wobbly coffee table, and our broken TV. The kitchen behind us was stuffed, a feast that had me salivating waiting for two on the counter.

I wanted to open my eyes, I wanted to see our little home, the Shoebox 3.0. Every ounce of my being wanted to see them. I kept them closed tight. There was an understanding hum, their hand staying from my hair to my neck, pulling me close.

"Spoilers, but you'll be fine. You be careful out there Sea Doofus. Don't make me go Ghostbusters on your butt. I swear if you die on me I'll come punch your soul back into your body, capiche? This was an easy fight, you have to stop holding back. I need you to be safe. We all do."

"Sorry." Was all I could muster.

Reality was coming back to me, I felt it breaking down the dream, digging its claws and tearing piece by piece away. A part of me was relieved I hadn't opened my eyes. I wouldn't have to see this slice of paradise fade away like everything else in my life, always out of reach after all this time. The rest of me was heartbroken, emotions dying to steal control back, desperate for a last glance.

They must have noticed I was waking up, they went stiff, then sagged in my lap.

"Never be sorry, just be yourself, Percy. We're out of time, but not for long. Hold on. Please. For me."

"Always."

The world rolled off my tongue, a promise to Styx herself and back. A pair of cool lips kissed pressed against my cheek, their hand giving mine a last, lingering squeeze.

Damn this was the kind of torment Orpheus went through with Eurydice, I had to see them, for a second, a millisecond, anything. All it took was a blink, a dissolving world appearing. Their delicate hands blocked the dying room before it was anything more than a blur, reality stabbing its cruel hooks in and slowly reeling me away.

"Nico-"

Those cool lips silence me with a kiss, knocking the fight right out of me. They gave a familiar chuckle, _his_ chuckle, pushing me back into the couch as Odyssey Cove and Arachne's den shifting back into my vision.

"Stay safe out their prince. I love-"

"Oi, get up! Stop being a waste of breath, I swear to god if you die and leave me up here I'll hunt you down and shank your ghost." Luke growled.

After a moment, he gave me a sound kick in the ribs, pulling off the web bounds with ease. He'd beat her, Pride was gone. I was woozy and doing my best to stand up, head spinning like a top. Dreaming after getting strangled, that was a new one.

The blond kneeled down, slapping the side of my face, trying to mask concern with a blunt "Get up."

He had to help me in the end, hauling me over his broad shoulders and striding out of the den. The scar of a Tartarus Portal was fresh on the ground right outside the den, a lopped off leg lying dead on the dry earth, slowly fading to dust.

"You got her."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious." Luke huffed.

We trudged in silence, Luke fuming with me over his shoulders, dangling dazed and confused. I really should take a shower or a dip in the ocean, that would fix the mess going on in my head, at least for now. On the plus side, I didn't feel as unbalanced as when we were stomping through before.

Then again, I couldn't feel my left arm or my toes either. Was that bad? Did the other victims felt the same way? Wait, the others!

"Luke, we need to go back, there were other people trapped!"

My words were slurred and slow, Luke unresponsive. I tried again, patting his back, trying to get his attention. The foliage writhed in front of me sickeningly and I had to force the words out, doing my best not to vomit. I yelped when Luke dropped me at the base of a tree, the back of my skull slamming painfully against the trunk.

The blow brought the night sky into clarity, along with the face of a pissed off Luke Castellan.

"No there aren't, only other morons. What the hell were you thinking, running off on your own, you didn't even listen to me, I had a plan!"

"But we were going to box her in, you were headed to the back-"

"I was taking a closer look retard, she peeked out and when I turned around, you were off in la-la-land, skipping off into a fucking trap. I was shouting at you but you had your stupid headphones on!"

"Luke, I-"

He steamrolled on, foot stomping close enough I felt the ground tremble. "We're a team, Percy. Like it or not you're stuck with me and I'm stuck with an idiot like you. I got lucky and pulled one over on her, that's the only reason you're not still strung up on her trophy wall. How am I supposed to help you when you literally can't hear me? What if I was in trouble? Shit, that already happened with Midas! I needed help, but you had those damn headphones on so you never heard me scream."

He panted, veins in his throat bulging as I stayed quiet, unable to meet his gaze. I needed the headphones it wasn't my fault. It was my fault. Without them, I would hear the screams, I'd remember… But he didn't know that.

After a while Luke gave an aggravated sigh and flipped me back over his shoulder, sprinting through the woods, muttering curses the whole time, the words brat, ungrateful, and retard popping up more than once.

The Shoebox was asleep when we came back. Luke was kind enough to toss me on the couch, feet soundlessly stomping as he grabbed ambrosia and the med kit. He was bleeding, I hadn't noticed that out in the starry woods. How long had I been out? Long enough to risk everything. This was all my fault.

I needed to fix this, to at least explain to him. He deserved that much. It was time to confess the sins of a Titans Wrath.

"Do you know how many enemies the gods have made over the years?"

Luke paused in rolling a bandage, eyes narrowed and confused. "Basically everyone. The Olympians piss on everybody, that's half of mythology in a nutshell."

I nodded, holding my head in my hands, wading through the toxic memories.

"Yeah… There's a lot of monsters who want revenge, anyway, they can get it. But it's kind of hard to take down an immortal who can blast you to oblivion and back with a snap of their fingers. So, they find mortals-demigods, lovers, friends, disciples."

Luke frowned, waiting to see where I was taking this. I didn't want to go over this. I was feeling pressure on my chest, the anxiety and guilt were eating me alive and I hadn't even come to the point.

"The Titan Army holds a lot of grudges. You're right, the gods tick off everyone. Anyone there had a score to settle and debts to be repaid, some ancient, rivalries, and some petty insults. That's where the recruits came in."

"Recruits?" Luke asked.

"Any demigod who's crap life brought them to us. The only choices were side with Kronos and fight for the cause or death. Most of the recruits were kids. Not for long at least, joining changed them fast. I should know. But a lot of them… They tried to run away or broke down, some even flat out rejected him…"

Luke didn't break the silence as I struggled to find words, memories tinted scarlet coming back piece by painful piece This is what made me a monster, this is what made me a Titans Wrath from the start.

"You had to execute them?" Luke finally offered somberly.

I shook my head, wishing it was that easy.

"Anyone who didn't join was free game for the army. The children of the gods were butchered there. The monsters never killed them right off, not the smart ones at least. They kept them alive, tortured them for weeks and weeks. A few cut off fingers and toes, bleeding until they had just enough to scrape by; they broke your mind and body. The freaks made it last, savored every second of it. I remember their screams, the kids begging for mercy, pleading with somebody to kill them, to make it stop. Oh, gods, I remember them all."

I wasn't sure if those were tears sliding down my cheeks or bloodstains. After so long it was hard to really tell the two apart.

"It was never the monsters, or Kronos, or even the war that broke me. It was them. They screamed, night and day, every day, without fail. I couldn't get away from them, nowhere was safe in the end, I could always hear them crying."

"Percy…"

I didn't want the pity and sympathy I heard. I blazed on before he could mean it, spitting the words out that would make him hate me as much as the gods did.

"Annabeth was the one who gave me the headphones. They blocked it out. I still heard them though. And then fate decided to play a joke. Annabeth was away on a mission when the headphones broke, and I was all alone. I still remember that night."

I was moving to the bathroom now, shuffling as fast as my aching body would allow. I needed a shower to fix my body, but my guilt was demanding to feel pain, to feel agony, any agony, any penance.

"We brought back a girl. She was barely four or five, a child of Demeter. I was the one who brought her to Kronos. I knew even before he said it that she was going to be a treat for the army, she was too weak to be of any use to him. She was already balling her eyes out. I knew she was going to scream her lungs out for them, that they would savor something innocent like her. They were coming, she was crying again, she started to scream, and then-"

The words wouldn't couldn't, come out of my mouth. I choked on them over and over again. I saw the scene so clearly in my mind. A grungy little girl with pigtails and a white t-shirt. Her eyes were puffy and afraid, trying to hide behind me as a group of Gegenees crept up, maniacal fangs bared, waves of arms ready to take her apart.

Riptide was there in my hand, I swung.

There was no explosion of dust, no monster fell and turned to gold.

When the blade came back in sight, the edge was stained and dripping crimson, and the same color that was slowly staining the little girl's shirt.

"I killed her. It was over in a split second, she never felt a thing. There was so much blood for somebody so small, it got everywhere. So hot and sticky. I remember scrubbing and scrubbing but it didn't come off. Funny how that works, all that blood."

I was almost to the bathroom door; my heart was hammering out of my chest.

"That was it. That's when I became Kronos' little monster. I couldn't handle it anymore, any of it. I never let the monsters get their hands on the kids, I never let them suffer after that night. I couldn't stand by anymore. I lost track of how many people I murdered Luke… Do you know what that's like?"

I couldn't look at him, I couldn't bring myself to see the disgust painted there. Finally saying it, remembering that night, and all the nights after that- it changed things. How could you Redeem someone like me? I got past the door, barely twisting the handle, slowly trudging in.

"That's why I wear the headphones. When I hear them, I just, I just…"

I started to close the door, trembling so much I had to clutch the sink for support, my stomach churning and my head thumping painfully. At the last second, Luke's voice pinned me to the door, part of me needing the righteous disgust and hate I deserved.

"You saved the from something worse. It's not pretty, it's not good. But it's a hell of a lot better than letting them suffer. You did what you needed too. You saved them really."

There wasn't a response for that- monsters don't understand kindness, it doesn't compute. It didn't matter how you tried to pretty up the truth, the facts remained.

Besides…

"I never did it for them." I whimpered hoarsely, falling over and closing the door as I slammed against the floor "I did it for me."

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed the feels, really interested to hear how you all felt about this chapter, always been a work in progress, so please read and review! Hope you all had a good read, things are definitely heated up, we're just over halfway through! Thank you, have a wonderful morning/afternoon/evening, and have a fantastical time!**

**Shout out to my favorite reader StarOfFeanor, thank you so much for all your support, I hope you enjoyed!**


	24. Good Omens

**Disclaimer; Percy Jackson and the Olympians are not my creation**

* * *

**Good Omens**

Nico POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Abandoned Farmhouse**

 **12** days, **4** hours, **3** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

There was an explosion of stars behind my eyes and I felt the shadows writhe around me, lashing out at the plank I was using to beat some sense into myself. What was wrong with me, what was Jackson doing to me?

I wasn't worried about him, I didn't care. I hadn't panicked when I saw him wander into Arachne's clutches. The weight of the world hadn't been crashing down on me until I saw the blonde jerk dragging him out, pale and sick, but still in one piece. I definitely hadn't been praying, begging anyone; god's monsters, the universe at large, to bring him back safe.

He wasn't supposed to be safe, he was supposed to be paying for his sins. Sins that didn't seem so terrible the more I looked at them, belonging to a hero who maybe wasn't the monster I built him up to be.

My hero…

Maybe I should try and summon Bianca again. My old Ouija board was falling apart from all the shadow magic I had pumped into it over the years, but I just had to try again, for some kind of sign. Or maybe I'd just glare at the burnt book again, remembering how I had pulled it from the ashes of Westover, the ruins of a home he had ripped apart. Except I hadn't. Come to think of it, I couldn't remember where that book had come from, even if the writing inside was mine…

I willed the shadows to bite me but they ignored me, working their way to the blossoming bruises across my skin and leeching out the dark color. Mrs. O'Leary padded over, nudging me with her enormous head, a concerned rumble of a whine shaking my bones. I tried to push her away but ended up flopping into the hellhounds fluffy mane.

I buried my face in her midnight fur, Mrs. O'Leary flopping onto her side and nuzzling me until I kneeled down beside her. She fussed over me now, slobbering up the side of my head with her giant tongue, keeping me close. My revenge wasn't going the way I'd hoped. Not that I really planned it out, to begin with.

Percy had always been a goal, delivering justice was what kept me going through all this time. Now I wasn't so convinced that it was justice.

All these dreams were forcing me to rethink my strategy. The world was gray, so many shades tinting every action and reaction, staining every choice. Mistakes were made. Percy was still a blacker shade of gray, but I wasn't far behind him.

He had been so consumed with the need to survive, no matter what the cost. I was determined to catch him no matter what. The way I'd snapped at Hazel for being with him, Hazel- one of the few people in this crap-sack world who cared about me (Perseus included).

Percy had rescued her; no wonder Hazel was on his side to the very end. I remembered the appeal, even if our adventure had only lasted a single night. I was so angry, so terrified that I was going to lose her, only to shove her away and burn that bridge all on my own.

Percy was going to be coming for me. I didn't know how, but I was tied to their quest. Sooner or later, my hero would be knocking on my door. And I wasn't ready for that. Rage was bubbling up through my heart, only it wasn't pointed anywhere. It stayed there, rattling my ribcage and roaring for release that wouldn't come.

Life wasn't fair. I wanted Bianca back. I wanted to make things up to Hazel. I wanted my hero, I wanted Percy, he was mine! I mean, uh, to take down. Or take home. I wasn't sure anymore.

My feelings for the devil(ishly amazing hero) who killed (the murderous hordes of monsters trying to kill me) my friends and my sister (Indirectly. Alright, technically he didn't have anything to do with it, he even tried to help us and told us specifically not to look back) were confusing at best.

The daydreams that kept popping up didn't help one bit. They were far worse than those windows to Percy's past stories that coursed through my brain like a wrecking ball. These were far more vivid and interactive, and worst of all-

"S'more?"

Speaking of which…

I reluctantly left the warm comfort of Mrs. O'Leary's belly, examining our new surroundings. Open night sky greeted me, gentle campfire smoke wafting past. Cool sand replaced the forest floor, and the woods had thinned and molted into softly swaying palm trees.

And there he was, the bane of my existence, crooked smile ready to break hearts and a s'more extended in welcome. I studied this Percy for a long time. There was little difference between my Percy and this one. No manacles graced their wrists, and a healthy tan was stained across tight muscle.

Their biggest tell was their soul, it was different from my heroes. Not that I was familiar with his soul or anything. Maybe I had taken a peek one or two times since he arrived. Or more than a peek. Shut up.

When I didn't respond, Percy gave the sweet a worried look. "No sale huh? Is it the pineapple slice? I promise if you give it a try you'll love it."

Gross, and no. After a while, Percy's hand drooped as he gave a heavy sigh, face lost in the flickering firelight. My powers didn't work in these dreams, I couldn't make out his expression, even if I could feel the disappointment radiating out of him. It was deep-set and preoccupied with more than a rejected s'more.

I couldn't shadow travel away from this strange pow-wow, an out of time meeting with my hero. The first time this happened I rushed him. I was furious for everything that was going on. Let's just say it didn't end well. It was like any other dream that plagued me, unavoidable and insufferable.

But it would end. I just had to put up with him long enough for one of us to lose interest. I wouldn't say a word, not until I was long gone from this place.

"So where are we now?" His cheerful tone made me jump, wincing as he took a too big bite of that pineapple s'more monstrosity.

My best death glare earned me a delighted smile and coo, blushing hard as he chuckled, the happy glint returning to his hypnotic eyes.

"Aw, you're still grumpy? So, before Leo?"

Right, Leo was on their list as well. I could watch him, gather some extra intel on what exactly their plans were. Or I could just ask Percy. For some reason, the idea had my pulse speeding up.

"Hmm… Definitely before Leo. After Frank?" He was reading me like a book, noting the recognition and pushing on; "After Arachne then?"

I felt my emotions betray me, my blushing glare cracking long enough to worry about my Percy for a split second. That was all he needed to see, nodding understandably and offering that stupid crooked smile.

"I'll be fine. You know, you're awfully cute when you're worried about me."

"Shut up." I murmured, biting the inside of my cheek when I saw his victorious smirk. Damn, he was good at pushing my buttons.

"You can talk to me you know, I don't bite. That's usually your department."

No use playing mute now might as well get this over with. Besides, maybe giving him a chance would get me another of those really annoying, aggravating, addictive smiles. Was this the way you were supposed to feel about monsters? No. But it had to be okay when it was Percy.

"Why would I want to talk to you?" I challenged.

Percy shrugged, chuffed expression unfaltering. I waited but he never replied, patience dwindling rapidly.

I gave an indignant stomp in the sand. "Well?"

"I never said you did." He leveled, finishing the s'more off in another enormous bite, crumbs sticking to the side of his lips. "I said you can talk to me. You're not alone Neeks."

"I know that!"

More sadness radiated out from him, the fire crackling and snapping as it crumbled into ash, the light dwindling lower and lower.

"Then why won't you give us a chance?"

"You know why!"

I didn't even know why anymore. Revenge didn't make sense, he wasn't responsible for Bianca's death. I couldn't even lie and say this was about all the poor schumcks at Westover- I hadn't given them a second thought until now. That night I was all too willing to abandon every single one of them for a life of adventure, and that was before the monsters showed up.

This had never been about them, it was about us; Bianca, Percy, and me. Even if he wasn't directly responsible he was still bad, this was his fault. Right? The fire was almost out now, the smoke of our campfire had consumed the stars and stolen the sound of a far-off sea, only our tiny pinprick of light to remain in a fallen world.

"Everyone makes mistakes. I've made more than my share." His voice was a hoarse, broken whisper. "I want to make it better Neeks. I know there's things to change. I need your help to do it. Our fate isn't written yet, take the warning and help me find another way. Without you…"

"Without you my life would be fine! You screwed up your life and mine, why should I have to save you?"

I kicked a pile of sand onto the fire, the flames nothing but fragile embers now as I advanced on the older boy. Mrs. O'Leary was swallowed up in the smoke now, there were only a few feet between Percy and I left in all existence.

"You broke me, why should I have to fix you? You don't have the right to come crawling to me asking for help, it's not fair!"

I stumbled over an ashen stump, arms flailing wildly as I fell-I couldn't remember the last time I couldn't see where I was going. A strong pair of arms caught me before I hit the earth, Percy holding me bridal style, the two of us practically invisible now. I panted hard, eyes trapped in oceans of sea green.

"You're right."

No, I didn't want to hear that! He needed to fight back, this wasn't how it was supposed to be!

"Percy-"

Some alien instinct took over and I brushed the s'more crumbs off with my thumb, suddenly aware of just how close we were

"You… I mean wee… Why do you…?" I struggled for words, trying to hold back angry tears.

The smoke started claiming my hero and I panicked, slamming a fist against his hardened chest.

"No! You don't get to leave me like this, you can't play with me like this! Stop it!" He was almost gone, I clung to him but the smoke melted him out of my grasp. "Please! Don't leave me again!"

He was gone. Without his support, I plummeted into the clouds of smoke, sobbing and heartbreaking.

"I'm sorry love…" He called, voice muffled through the smog.

All I could do was choke on tears and the thick fumes before the smoke cloud ended and I hit the ground hard.

**Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X-Ψ**

I wasn't in the barn. To make matters worse, I wasn't in a comfy beach grove with Percy and Mrs. O'Leary either. Tears were still burning my cheeks as I sat up, nose scrunching up at the rancid stench at assaulted me. The daydream was over, but apparently, my nightmares were only beginning.

I was in Percy's past. Again. As I sniffed and tried to make sense of everything, the world shifted into focus, waves and waves of tents branching out in every direction. There was still sand under my fingers, but it was burning, desert heat overwhelming my senses.

The residents were coming into the picture now, sand shifting as they shimmered into existence like a mirage. Dust kicked up as monsters, hundreds of them, swarmed over me, a turtle creature scuttling straight through me and into a mass of freaks.

I skittered back, holding my breath when they came close and trying to call on the shadows. They didn't heed my call, this was a dream, but the sight of so many monsters had my heart jackhammering in my chest almost as much as when I thought of Percy.

No one noticed me, but I still ducked into the nearest tent, reveling in the cool shadows within, peering out on the assembly. This was the Titan Army. Legion upon legion loomed across the desert-I was on a high, flat dune, overlooking the sprawling city of tents and artificial oases.

How had the gods fought them, there didn't seem to be an end to the monsters, sweating under the hot desert sun. I needed to find Percy. Even knowing this horde was a dream, I would feel safer around here once I found him.

It didn't take long. I was growing more and more attuned to his presence through these dreams. I weaved between the tents, meandering to one of the larger shelters, a line of gruff, rogue demigods pooling out, crazed and laughing.

They didn't seem natural. A good half never stopped moving, eyes shifty and smiles maniac. The other half were blank slates, some taking in everything around them with methodical urgency, some empty, dead inside beyond recovery.

All things considered, Percy had come out of all this pretty well. Of course, he never really settled down for more than a second either, and it might be dull in comparison, but that psychotic glint sparked in his eyes whenever he got into a fight.

I waded through them, doing my best to take it slow and steady before giving up and ghosting through the crowd and into the tent. Despite the great number of people, it was cool and fresh inside, rows of tables filled to the bursting point. Small, russet fauns and anorexic harpies zigzagged in-between them, platters of mulch sliding across to the hungry customers, then dashing off again.

I wasn't certain what the gruel was, but I was positive it was moving- at least it was until the demigods impaled it, ripping off juicy chunks with gusto. Finding Percy in her was easier than expected. The boy sat at the very edge of a table in the corner, eyes glued to his full tray, face hidden behind his bangs.

He was older than when he accepted Kronos' offer, but not by much, a few months at best. The group crammed beside him like sardines on every side were glassy-eyed and unresponsive. They sat there, mindlessly shoveling the grub down their gullets, mechanical and broken.

I padded straight through the other tables to reach him, but a gaggle of the more hyper half-bloods hopped over, giggling madly as they surrounded him like a pack of hyenas. Watching warily, I squeezed in-between the comatose kids, more than a little disconcerted as their elbows phased in and out of my ribcage with every scoop and slurp.

"Hey, hey, look who we got here. It's Percy, Percy, Percy!" Hooted a tall girl with dreadlocks.

The two walls of meat who accompanied her giggled, twitching excitedly as they pressed up close, trying to meet his gaze. A fourth, smaller boy with an x-shaped scar slipped past and peered over his shoulder, studying Percy with interest.

They all took turns going over him before the smaller boy laughed excitedly again. "He's one of us now!"

One of the meat walls nodded, gushing in admiration as he leered at Percy. "Look like he's had his cherry popped! There's nothing so great as the first time you spill someone's blood. Except spilling their guts across the floor!"

I recoiled as they busted up laughing, more kids randomly joining in from across the room for no apparent reason. Gods, these were kids! What the hell was wrong with these people? Someone made a crack about watching them scoop them up afterwards and the dreadlocked girl guffawed dumbly and slapped Percy on the back.

"Heard you left them pretty mangled, choking on their own blood. That's pretty nasty man, I like that." She winked, letting her hand wander over his shoulder and down his chest "Guess that means you're really one of the family now."

This finally elicited a reaction from Percy, the boy blinking those sea green eyes slowly, looking up to show confusion. Those eyes were dark though, they weren't empty or crazed like the others. The color was solid and twisted, the blue and green clashing so much it almost hurt to look.

"Excuse me?"

The other meat bag came far too close to comfort, face inches from Percy's "You're a real traitor now."

"We had a wager going around, wondered how long you'd be one of Kronos' hollow little puppets before you got a real taste." The smaller boy admitted, nodding to the comatose half-bloods at my side. "You hit me the jackpot kiddo, should have known Poseidon's spawn would know how to party!"

Percy's bangs hid his face again, but I saw his expression harden, the sea green grow stormy. The nearest puddles of glop bubbled dangerously, but none of the demigods took any notice.

"We've got a real abomination right here!" Meat Wall number one cheered, grabbing Percy's hand and raising it to the sky. "What do you think of that dad? Gods' better be scared cuz we're coming for them! Just wait till your first slaughter, you'll never forget it."

Perseus' eyes widened, more emotion than I could read flowing out of him. "I'm not- I'm not- You think I'm one of his puppets, one of you freaks?"

Meat Wall number one would never forget his mistake either by the look of it. That dark look finally exploded let loose the dam of power, Perseus launching to his feet as the others hastily retreating. It wasn't far enough.

I watched as they seized up, choking and stuttering, veins starting to bulge, faces going red. What the hell? And then I saw Perseus' hand, clenched in a half fist, fingers twitching wildly. What was he doing to them?

"How could you say that?" He demanded, raising his arm.

The four of them gasp, falling to their knees. The dreadlock girl's nose started bleeding and more than one blood vessel popped in their eyes, bugging out as they stared at the furious son of Poseidon. The Meat Bags extended arm was turning purple, blood blisters contorting the skin as Percy squeezed tighter and tighter.

"Do I look like a monster to you?"

Yes. Yes, he did. This was the Perseus I wanted. This was the making of a monster; the psycho look was in full swing, the bloodthirsty glare pulsed through him with every squeeze, the others screaming with every twitch of his fingers. He was manipulating their blood. Gods that was… Gods…

This was a monster, or at least an early one. I'd fought all kinds of terrifying demons and ghouls, I'd seen Kronos-but even that clockwork menace seemed suddenly less terrifying compared to this. I retched, eyes wide, as Perseus gave another squeeze, the Meat Walls' arm bursting, tiny spears of blood slicing his arm to ribbons with an earsplitting scream.

Anyone who wasn't looking before was now, transfixed at the sight of these four demigods caught in the Perseus' wrath. The scream seemed to shake him out of it, Perseus seeming surprised at his own actions, looking at his hand as if realizing this was his doing for the first time.

He rushed to the Meat Walls' side, grimacing and casting him a regretful look. "I'm sorry, ooh, I'm sure that's gonna be okay! Sorry, it's just I don't understand…"

Oh crap, the rage was back and stronger than ever by the look of it. I guess they were right, there was nothing like your first slaughter. They were going down.

"Don't compare me to you!" Perseus shouted.

He introduced his kneecap to the Meat Walls' exposed neck, the giant boy giving an airless cry before falling flat on his back, blood still pouring freely out of his mauled arm. Perseus' hand contorted and the smaller boy was lifted off his feet, slamming against a table, the sound of bone meeting metal cracking through the air.

No one moved to take Perseus off the warpath. They watched stony silence as he railed on them, blood flying everywhere. This was what I had wanted him to be… My stomach twisted as blood splattered on the comatose kids, still chewing their food as crimson drops dripped off their faces and into the gruel.

"Stand down." A familiar voice barked.

Perseus and I spun around as a storm faced girl appeared. It was Annabeth, but definitely not the real her. She was harder than steel, hair cropped short and dressed in strange attire- it could have passed for street casual clothes if they weren't made of tight fitting bronze, reinforcing every weak point.

The perfectly unconditional, unending love between the two didn't exist yet. Sea green clashed with iron-gray, the son of Poseidon eyeing up the undaunted daughter of Athena.

"Make me."

Annabeth's face remained unchanged, yet a condescending glow bubbled through her mask.

"If you insist." She chirped.

Percy was faster, hand raised before she could make a move. Annabeth seized up, veins starting to throb, only that was her plan. Perseus never noticed the dagger she'd tossed, a biting slash flashing through his bicep.

He didn't have time to maintain his magic, the daughter of Athena was on him in an instant. She kicked the side of his kneecap and he went down hard. Annabeth knelt over him, knee over his chest and balancing her feet on his open palms, another dagger pressing in dangerously on his throat.

"We don't tolerate insubordination." She drawled, drawing pinpricks of red across Perseus' neck, their eyes still locked; "It doesn't matter if you do curry our Lord's favor. Do I make myself clear?"

He didn't respond and she let the dagger dig a little deeper, smirking when he hissed. The Meat Walls blood was pooling around them now, his friends dragging him away. The dreadlocked girl carried the smaller boy over her shoulder, all of them bruised and bloodied, with more than a few broken bones. They ran off, vanishing into the desert sun before they could be caught up in the action.

The other half-bloods abruptly scooted away, the whole room giving Perseus and Annabeth a wide berth. It was almost an unconscious effort, they weren't even paying attention to the struggle anymore, laughing and going about their business.

"Thank me for stopping you and I'll consider letting you off with a warning." She offered.

No wonder this chick was pride. Or had been at least. At first, it seemed as if he would hold out and keep his dignity. Perseus closed groaned in resignation, that line across his exposed throat growing wider by the second.

"Thank you-"

Annabeth smirked victoriously, opening her mouth to gloat before Percy continued.

"For giving me another weapon."

Annabeth gave a startled yelp as the blood dripping off her dagger sprang through the air and into her eyes. She gave a calculated jab where Perseus' head had been a millisecond before, but he was already moving, legs twisting up past her shoulders and throwing her to the ground.

Annabeth was on her feet fast before he could go in for the kill, slashing his hand away when he reached for her. They blurred again, stabbing and punching wildly. Perseus wasn't using his magic now, and Annabeth was getting sloppy.

This was physical, some unspoken animosity washing all other conflict and thought aside. Poseidon and Athena had been rivals since the beginning- I guess their children happily carried on the tradition.

Riptide popped into existence, sparks flying as it clanged against the dagger, the two barely missing each other as they circled, their dance growing tangled and closer with each slash and cut. Annabeth's knife went flying and now they were struggling over Riptide, literally clawing and biting to get it.

If they weren't covered in their own blood and trying to murder each other, it would be kind of adorable, like a brother and sister fighting over a toy. The blonde girl finally twisted it away, leveling the sword at him, a wild snarl painted across her features.

And then Perseus took a flying leap at her. I think the only reason she didn't stab him then and there was that she couldn't possibly believe anyone would be dumb enough to willingly charge forward and throw themselves, chest first, into a sword.

She obviously didn't know Percy.

Riptide clattered away across the makeshift floor as the two came to blows, beating the other black and blue. All I could do was watch, waiting as they just kept going and going and going. The last of the demigods had filed in now, the harpies and fauns were cleaning up now, mopping up blood and spit whenever they had the chance.

They all seemed happy to allow them to continue beating the living snot out of each other. And then they were finally done. They sat as far away from each other as they could, which wasn't far considering their condition.

They gasped for breath, nursing their ridiculously broken bodies. They eyed the other, that feral hate still free but sagging under pain and exhaustion. This had been a draw, and more than pride was wounded.

A half-blood poked her head through the open flaps, raising a tattooed eyebrow when she saw the state they were in, curled up on the floor.

"What the hell were you two on?"

They didn't respond, so wrapped up in their fight that nothing and no one else mattered. The girl cautiously approached, giving Perseus an apprehensive look and poking Annabeth with her steel toed boot.

"Oi get up! Earth to daughter of Athena, hello? We've got work to do, you two can flirt later."

Annabeth snapped out of their war trance first, wincing as she struggled to her feet. Perseus followed, anger and shame spilling off him in waves as he found Riptide, using the blade as a crutch. The blonde girl gave him a scathing glare and staggered away, leaning heavily on the other girl.

"Do you have seaweed for brains or just a death wish in general?" She called over her shoulder, almost sounding curious.

Percy shrugged, never looking back as he trudged out the other door. "You tell me wise girl."

I reeled in the aftershock of their little escapade, feeling sick inside. I wanted a monster. I had always thought of Perseus as a monster. So why wasn't I thrilled to see him show his true colors? He was the bad guy.

I didn't want this anymore. I wanted Percy, not the beast that Perseus was. The scene was shifting, the tent stayed except it was smaller; a living quarters judging by the sleeping bags across the floor. The vicious desert sun had been overtaken by an icy wind, a sleepy tundra peering in as the flaps billowed in the zephyr.

I heard them a long way off- Percy and Annabeth were bickering, shouting to be heard over the storm. They barreled in, decorated with a thin layer of frost and freckled by snowflakes. They quit quarrelling long enough to help zip the open flaps close, teeth chattering as they huddled together, body heat and the flames of their hate keeping them warm.

"Well maybe if you weren't a complete m-moron I wouldn't have stabbed you!" Annabeth chattered, rubbing her stiff arms as fast as she was able.

"Whatever. You're lucky I as even there, you were about to take a dirt nap!" He shot back.

Percy was more than a little blue, and not in the good ay. Annabeth scoffed pushing him aside, then quickly returning her hands under her shirt and shuffling close to steal his heat again.

"D-don't be such a Seaweed Brain! I had it covered!"

She had stabbed him? And was that formal wear under their thin winter layers? Hadn't they been arguing over their dance the other night, something about an infiltration even while working for Kronos? Percy didn't look worse for wear, albeit more of a Percicle than normal.

"Like h-h-hell you did! If you're such a Wise Girl why'd you waltz into a trap?"

"Because I was foolish enough to let you lead!"

There was more shoving and grumbling.

"Idiot."

"Brat."

"Moron!"

"Clod!"

They were getting up close now, it was like two wolves snarling over a steak. Only worse, especially since the next second their lips met. My jaw dropped as they kissed, instantly leaping back, eyes wide and quiet now. And then they were back together, wrapped up In each other and lip locked. I scowled, torn between throwing up or punching Annabeth in her perfect teeth.

"Not interested!" I ordered the frozen sky, "Let's move this along!"

Watching my hero play tonsil hockey with somebody else was not on my o do list. For once the dream responded, the tundra melting away to a montage of the past. They were a couple now, awkwardly holding hands as they waded away from a battlefront.

They patched up wounds and made excuses on exotic missions to have dates, 'scouting' museums and aquariums, and being otherwise sickly adorable. Animosity turned to adoration, they were always together now, no matter the odds they would take on the world.

They weren't even a couple anymore, they had moved on, closer than ever. Things weren't so cheerful for them now. Dark bags blossomed under their eyes, then white streaks flashed through their hair, more and more scars starting to decorate the pair. It only went downhill from there.

I saw why Percy needed headphones, I saw Annabeth turn into one of those comatose half-bloods, Perseus spoon-feeding her and decimating anything that came too close. The monsters feared them, the demigods learned to stay away.

Perseus' coronation as the Titans Wrath was a blood bath that I couldn't skip, unable to block out the death cries and fearful screams that followed his title, ruling through sheer ferocity and power. Nothing stopped them, they were the ultimate power couple, two of the strongest demigods I have ever seen.

Then Annabeth was running away. It was their scheme, the two of them were going to escape this life and never look back. It was all set up; she had rigged an old dune buggy, runes to disappear without a trace were studied and ready for use. They would leave this world completely, Kronos wouldn't catch them.

Only, he came close. I watched as Percy pushed Annabeth into their secret workshop and smashed the entrance after her. He sacrificed his freedom for her, buying time and letting Kronos torment him as she drove off, out of the Titan King's clutches.

Until now at least. It hurt to watch him break without her. He fell hard, and I got to come up and personal with the Titans Wrath, an empty killing machine. Percy had faded, only the mask left, the Wrath left on autopilot as he slaughtered and maimed.

This is what I wanted. This was what I wanted…

Then Poseidon came. I tried to slow down the dream, to check out the details, but it was too late, their conversations were lost in the rush. I saw a struggle, Percy shattering in hysteria, and Poseidon stealing him away, far beneath the waves.

The dream skipped- whatever happened down there was private. Something told me that I didn't need to be witness to the fight Percy was going through. It was personal; more personal than him and Annabeth snogging apparently.

The Percy I knew was reborn in the deep. When he came ashore the Titans Wrath was trapped. He was a hero on a mission; a mission to make up for the mistakes of his past. The murder and mayhem turned into complicated covert ops; supposedly dead demigods were smuggled out, missions were botched or overturned when the enemy seemed to magically know the attack was coming.

Kronos started pressuring Percy, he was followed and stalked everywhere, there was more and more need for killing, the unhealthy pallor was starting to return to his eyes. For a split second-weeks, or even months to him- those eyes turned gold and the Titans Wrath made a break for the surface. Percy was back then next second, twitchy and starting to crack.

Determination had its limits. Percy was doing all he could and it was taking a toll, he wouldn't last. Now they were moving out, a branch off storming through Maine. Percy was ready for this mission, he didn't have much time but he was going to save the two demigods trapped in Westover Hall Orphanage.

That was us, I could see the Orphanage is the distance! Percy was trying to get ahead, he sent a warning to an old friend; Grover! He sent in Ferdinand, they were supposed to get us out before the army ever arrived.

I blinked, and I was awake.

"Wait, go back! I wasn't done, let me see that again!"

The dream didn't respond, and Mrs. O'Leary tilted her head, wondering if I was talking to her.

"I'll watch them make out again, whatever just let me back in! Come on!"

I needed to see the dream, I wanted to understand more; I wanted to see Percy, I had to see what happened leading up to that night at Westover. Damn it why wasn't this working!

Everything went black and I practically cheered with joy. Maybe I was finally getting a handle on this whole dream thing after all! Except, I could still see in the darkness, and the shadows danced at my feet, feeding off my excitement.

I was still awake. But if this wasn't a dream, then what? Mrs. O'Leary let out a spine-chilling growl, clambering to her feet, red eyes locked onto something behind me. I leapt out of the way as she attacked, crashing into my bed and tearing it to shreds, pieces splintering off in her sharp-toothed maw.

"O'Leary heel!"

She was digging at the scrapheap that had been my bed, sniffing agitatedly at the ground, then racing over to me, muscles twitching and fangs still bared.

"What's got into you girl?"

There wasn't anyone out here. I sent a pulse through the shadows, nothing moved aside of the leaves in the trees; there wasn't a living soul within a good mile. Mrs. O'Leary growled again, ignoring me as I stroked her mane, soothing her as best as I could.

I tried to smile into her ruby eyes, breath catching when I saw the golden light reflected in them. When I turned around this time, there was definitely something there. A pair of glowing, golden eyes hovered in the darkness, boring straight into me.

There wasn't any time to think, the shadows enveloped them and I shouted "Kill!" to Mrs. O'Leary, diving towards the wall where I kept my sword. The hellhound barked, the sound shaking the whole building, pouncing on the intruder.

There was a scuffle as I pushed around, unsheathing my sword and letting loose a wave of death out. There was no effect, the eyes were unfazed by my magic, ducking and weaving around Mrs. O'Leary with exaggerated ease.

It wasn't Kronos, they lacked the clicking tick-tock construct that held him and the awful presence he carried. In fact, they didn't have any presence at all. Whatever this was, it had no soul, nothing but a pair of glowing eyes. There was definitely something there, a body, but the more I focused on them, the harder it was to see.

As if noticing my attention, the eyes swiveled to me, a crooked Cheshire grin suddenly visible. Mrs. O'Leary struck at their exposed back, snapping her jaw around their neck. I gasped as she let out a whine, our attacker prying her maw open and punching her gut.

The hellhound's ribs cracked, and she gave a keen, going in for another strike. They didn't have a chance to strike again, the shadows sprang up, a Venus fly trap of spikes and darkness slapping close around them. My sword went straight through, the tip poking out the other side, a sure win.

There was a laugh- no, more of the absence of a laugh- and they were out. I swung and stabbed but each blow missed. They caught my last jab, literally holding my blade between their middle and index fingers, and gave a swift jolt, the stygian iron sailing up into the air until it was lost in a forgotten hay bail. They backhanded me with the force of a runaway truck, tossing me against the wall like a ragdoll.

Stars and birdies flew around my head, vision blurring as those golden eyes wandered closer. Mrs. O'Leary came to my rescue, barking and bellowing as she pushed space between us, acting as a fluffy shield. They advanced casually, ignoring her dangerous growls and snarls. I had seen Mrs. O'Leary scare away giants and entire platoons, but this was different.

She put up a valiant fight, but it was over before it even started. They blitzed under her paw, another sickening crunch coming from her ribs and grabbed her by an enormous paw, lifting the ton and a half of hellhound into the air and smashing her back down.

I cried out, rushing to her as she smacked down, whimpering and whining. She pushed me away, huddling and limping to get between us, still trying to protect me. There was more of that anti-sound, and those golden eyes marched closer.

He wasn't going to get a chance to hurt us again. Mrs. O'Leary's pained whimpers egged me on as I pulled every ounce of power I could, letting out a bellow and throwing everything I could at them. A physical shadow of death erupted into existence, blowing through the other side of the barn.

Any living thing in its way withered and died, wave after wave of shadows bombarding the night, uprooting trees and plowing through the earth like a meteorite. Pointed rock pillars pierced the night, ripping through the roof, impaling anything they could.

For a moment, they staggered, moving freely despite the three feet of rock burrowed in their chest and the typhoon of darkness threatening to blow them into oblivion. Then those golden eyes blinked, the glow growing painfully bright, fighting the deathly current and stomping towards me.

I panicked, the magic starting to fade as exhaustion hit. I thought of Bianca and Hazel, I used the fear and the hate that kept me alive all these years. The rush didn't faze them at all, they were only a yard away.

I thought of the loss, the pain that kept me up late at night, the never-ending depression that threatened to take me at any moment. Still nothing. They were reaching out, slowed by the rush of power, but coming nevertheless.

I was ripping the color out of Odyssey Cove, death ran rampant, reaping anything it could as I held out, but it wasn't enough. My limit was drawing close, I was shaking and my nose was bleeding. Their clawed hand was almost to my throat now, those golden orbs were too close.

I thought of Percy. For a second nothing happened, the confusion was too much, and then the shadows rippled, stronger than ever. The stone pillars shattered from the force, a crater rippled into existence and death's reach clenched tighter, feeling for an opponent who had no soul to steal.

The golden eyed attacker stopped, their fingers wrapped tightly on my throat. It was a strange feel, a reflection of a ghostly touch. This whole struggle was a fight against an echo in a mirror, there was no stopping this thing.

Only it was stopped, simply glowing and watching.

My hand was on their chest, I felt nothing even as I poured the last of my magic out. With a final pulse, I ran dry, teetering dangerously for a moment, and then collapsing in a heap on the cold stone. The room was frozen with the cold of mortality, and Mrs. O'Leary was panting in a heap, doing her best to paw her way over.

I could barely focus as the golden eyes leaned over my fallen form, an unnaturally curved angle studying me intently. Their strange hands wrapped around my throat, pulling me up and I scrunched my eyes closed, I wasn't ready to die-

Strange lips met mine, a tongue fighting into my mouth. I didn't move for a bit, too confused and exhausted to do anything. Then I fought back, punching and trying to bite them as best as I could. It didn't do much good. After a second they pulled away, teeth latching onto my lower lip and biting down hard.

I groaned into their mouth, blood already pouring from the wound as they retreated. The eyes looked different now, the golden glow was excited and possessive.

"You're mine."

The words meant nothing, but the voice was wrong- almost familiar if it really existed. They picked me up with rough hands, laying me against Mrs. O'Leary with surprising care, brushing the blood off my lip. I flinched away, weakly batting my hand away at the fresh pain, but they caught my wrist, laughing ecstatically.

"You will be mine Nico di Angelo."

The light flickered back on, what few bulbs remained cracked dangerously, threatening to go out at a moment's notice. They golden eyed attacker was gone. We were alone in the middle of this carnage, bleeding and exhausted, feeling dread eat away at the rage inside.

My bottom lip stung, I could tell it was going to scar. They had marked me, claimed me as their own. I needed to find Percy- I needed to end this. I had the feeling I was running out of time.

* * *

**I know I glossed over Percy and Annabeth's past, but I didn't feel it added to the experience here. Don't worry, we'll be getting more details from Annabeth later on, and as for Percy's time with Poseidon and his going dark, Percy plans on spilling the dirt later. If you have any questions or anything, I love talking about my work, hit me up it'd be exciting to go over things! Anywho, read and review, hope you enjoyed everybody! Don't know when the next chapter will be out, but I'm on a roll so I'll do my best to have it out soon! Au revoir and have a fantastical morning/afternoon/evening!**


	25. Making Progress

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or Rick Riordan (Unfortunately)**

* * *

**Making Progress**

Frank POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Shoebox, Boys Dorm**

 **11** days, **19** hours, **54** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Hell had an anthem and its name was 'Eye of The Tiger'. At four in the morning, we all jerked awake as the song shook the Shoebox to bits, the thin walls buzzing with every note Percy bounded in, flicking the light on and off, far too peppy and bouncy for this early in the day.

"Gooooooood morning heroes! Who's ready to rumble?!"

My head was firmly trapped under the pillows, trying to block him out unsuccessfully. Hiding didn't work. Percy ripped the covers off, jumping on my bunk and shaking Jason.

"What. The. Fuck?" Luke moaned, barely audible over the growing volume.

Our tormentor responded by literally raining on his bed with us in the splash zone. "Stretch up, suit up, and set your phasers to awesome! It's training time! 'We Are the Champions' is up next, you've got until my Disney Super Album starts to get up and get on out here!"

I managed to push him off my bunk, giving him an exasperated "Shouldn't you be asleep?

The ravenette shrugged, stealing my pillow and heading for the girl's dorm. "I'm supposed to be a lot of things, but I live to disappoint. Knock, knock!"

Jason was the first up, hovering lazily off the top bunk, his outstretched arms giving the impression of a blonde superman as he glided down. Luke was next, forcing me to give into the peer pressure and surrender the warm, fluffy comfort of my mattress.

"Morning boys." Piper chirped, yanking out the cord on Percy's speakers.

Hazel filed up beside her, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and giving us a smile. I waved back, only to remember I was only in my undies. There was a stream of sleepy giggles when I dove out of sight, blushing furiously as I pulled on some pants and a hoodie.

"Aw don't be bashful." Luke chided, hopping into my vacant, dry bed and turning over "Show off, she'll love it."

I mean… I didn't really mind the idea of showing off for Hazel that much. Not that I just wanted that sort of thing!

"Since when is Percy an early bird?" The girl of my dreams drawled, pawing through the fridge for a quick fix.

Annabeth shrugged, my jaw dropping as she rolled onto the floor, legs up in the air and balancing with ease on one hand; "In my experience Seaweed Brain is more of a night owl. I surmise he assumed early morning training would provide enough incentive stimuli for success."

Percy flipped into view, somersaulting through Piper's stretched legs and plugging the speaker back in with a grin as he quipped "I prefer to think of myself as more of a mid-afternoon narwhal actually."

The opening notes of 'We Are the Champions' began, and so did training. This wasn't our typical exercises, not today. Percy and Annabeth seemed satisfied with our abilities to survive basics, and now it was time for magic.

Jason was testing his endurance, hovering around the room and keeping up a lightning bolt while Percy pelted him with water balloons. Piper was CharmSpeaking Annabeth, attempting to mess up the girls fighting routine without much success.

The daughter of Athena seemed to have the same immunity Percy held, although every once in a while, she'd hesitate. It wasn't enough for Piper to notice, but my battle instincts kicked in enough for me to catch them.

Hazel was breathtaking. Annabeth had shown her how to make a magnetic field, daggers and scraps orbiting around her in a dizzying display as she worked them over.

A water balloon splattered across my chest and Percy appeared in front of me, arms crossed a literal aqua and red 'Go Frank!' poster stretched out in his arms.

"You're on Frank! Show us what you got!"

My challenge was to shapeshift. Arguably one of the cooler powers I'd seen so far, my ancestors were able to pull it off in ancient times, and now it was my turn to keep our mythological traditions going. How on earth I was supposed to turn into a beast was beyond me.

The harder I tried the more idiotic I felt. Percy didn't miss a beat, patting my back encouragingly.

"No worries dude, you'll get it! How can I help?"

I felt as if I should be the one asking that question. He looked terrible. There were dark bags under his eyes, a crisscross of bruises circled his throat, and he seemed out of breath, passing off his teetering sways and stumbles as dancing to the beat.

The rational part of my brain wanted to patch him up and get him lying down. The Mars part of my mind cheerfully pointed out that he wouldn't look so bad if it wasn't four in the morning! He really must have taken a beating last night. Luke hadn't seemed worse for wear, at least that I could tell.

The lout in question hadn't left our room, sound asleep under all our covers and blankets, ear plugs stuffed in while he snoozed away. Percy didn't bother him. It was almost bothering me, the way he ignored Luke, instead pushing himself harder than he needed just to help us.

Not that I was taking sides in this trial, but Percy seemed like the de facto go-to guy. Luke was here for the mission, he would have dropped us as soon as our bonds were severed. Percy cared. He went out of his way to help us and keep us alive. I wasn't sure which approach would win out in this sadistic competition they were drawn in, but I knew who I was voting for.

Crud, I guess I was taking sides after all. If I could vote, it would be for him. Not that I really knew if we half-bloods even voted. They hadn't really established how these trials concluded other than giving out a heaping helping of death for everyone.

Guess I should throw him a bone then.

"Tell me how you do it."

Percy hummed thoughtfully, a curious expression on his face as he drained the water from my soaked shirt, spinning the drops around his fingertips.

"I don't really think about my powers. It's emotion, adrenaline- I let it out and go with the flow." He gave an over the top hula impression to emphasize the pun, the water droplets forming mini waves in the air.

That… wasn't telling me anything I didn't know. Hazel had described her magic as balance. She felt the juju and how to roll it around. Annabeth was the opposite of Percy, it was an entire lack of emotion and focus on logistics and analysis. Jason described it as tapping into his inner storm and Piper boiled it down to intuition and reading people.

Nothing was the same. So, I had to find my own way, which so far translated to allowing the god of war to ransack my mind and pump me full of godly steroids. There had to be some other way, someone had to know what other people felt.

Wait, Percy was that guy, he had other powers through breaking our Bonds!

"I've got it, hit me with Piper's gift!"

The ravenette bit his lip and ran a hand through his hair nervously at my request.

"Here" I offered, closing my eyes, "CharmSpeak me, tell me how it works for you!"

The two heroes had some of our abilities, hearing how he accessed them could point me in the right direction here. It would be a start at least. No commands came, except for Piper's attempts to bewitch Annabeth.

Percy gave a polite cough and I opened my eyes, surprised at his suddenly guarded and downtrodden aura.

"I can't CharmSpeak anymore." He admitted quietly.

"What? Are you okay, what happened?"

Percy gave me a stern look, making sure to grin and laugh when the others turned in concern, jerking his head to follow was he cartwheeled over to the speaker system and played with the dials. He didn't have the power? Luke still had his gold touch and immunity to water.

Granted he didn't have Hazel or my abilities, but he still had the magic. So why didn't Percy have the CharmSpeak? Come to think of it, the Venus-Aphrodite appeal had diminished as well. He was Percy, he still had that skater boy vibe that brought guys and gals running- but he was normal again, the mesmerizing fashion model highlights were gone.

"It's complicated." He explained in hushed tones, fiddling with a cord.

"Is Luke going to lose them too? How did it happen?"

Those abilities were useful in a fight- without them, I don't know if Luke would have been able to stun Polyphemus or if Percy would have won his sing-off against the siren. Extra perks and knacks could make all the difference. They had a hold on their abilities and we were barely coming along.

The only other demigods who could really handle the utter destruction of our godly powers were Jason and Annabeth. I knew some fancy maneuvers with my upgraded body, but that wasn't enough to turn the tide of battle. Percy proved that with his hurricane the other night.

We still needed to find a way to fix all that damage from the ambush, I felt guilty thinking about the homes and stores that were destroyed to save our lives. It was for a good cause at least, and nobody was seriously injured.

Percy smiled, flipping to 'You're Welcome' on the album. "He better not, or else I'll have to stab him. I mean, it would be almost impossible for him. I… I lost them when I saved you guys the other night."

Oh. That made sense in a weird way. In Mythomagic, any secondary abilities were lost when the primary attack was supercharged in a combat sequence. Sure, it was just a card game, but then again until they crashed into my life, I thought demigods were just figments of mythology. That had to apply somewhere.

"Listen, I've known a lot of half-bloods," Percy whispered quietly, never taking his eyes off the speaker system as he adjusted the volume. "It's not about finding the way that works best for you. In this world, it's kill or be killed, fight for your life, and count your blessings when you make it out in pieces. You're a child of war, fight for what you believe in and don't let go. That's all I can offer you, the rest is up to you."

And then he was gone, taking Hazel outside for a special experiment. Talk about cynical, that was depressing to the max. Yeah, that was probably his reality after working as Kronos' lackey and transforming into the greatest villain of the modern mythological age. Percy was world-weary, he'd seen things to break your soul and shatter your spirit.

Yet here he was. It was strange to see this different side in Percy. It paralleled his fatal flaw, his loyalty- it was almost like the sins we were bound to. Loyalty versus survival.

Fight for what you believe in, that's what he had recommended. But that was easier said than one. So far changing bodies wasn't that great. A lifetime of being normal didn't translate well on a state of the art form that had reflexes I couldn't keep up with and ripped off doorknobs with the gentlest twist (The Shoebox repaired whenever I wasn't looking. We'd gone through at least twelve and counting).

It was like going from a lemon to a sports car- the same idea, but completely and utterly different. If I could change from that blob I had been to this rippling muscle warrior ready to take on the world, I could change into any animal.

My nose scrunched up as I took a deep breath, holding it in and thinking hard. Probably a good idea to start with something small and familiar. A dog, that would work. Seconds ticked away, and it was hard to tell if that was fur sprouting or just body hair and sweat. Was I getting smaller?

My ears popped and my lungs were bullying my brain into breathing. This was it, I was getting down on all fours, I had it! I let out a woof, pawing excitedly at the carpet. This was a good start, I was getting the hang of it!

"Um, Frank?"

I blinked up at Piper, eyebrows raised and trying not to laugh at the sight of me down on all fours, barking and digging. Annabeth chided her, giving me a supporting thumbs-up and pulling Piper away. Great. That totally wasn't going to be an embarrassing story for years to come. On the other hand, if the apocalypse came, nobody would ever know about this, so that was a plus.

"Don't let her get to you man, you almost had it! Keep thinking elephant!" Jason advised, shaking the 'Go Frank' sign in Percy's stead.

My shoulders sagged, giving the floor a sullen scowl. "I was going for a dog."

"Oh."

Jason tugged his ear, contemplating the problem. He was the best Roman we had. A son of Jupiter, skilled swordsman, master of the storm, and all over fantastic guy. The second he'd come into our lives, he'd been our natural leader- apart from Percy and Luke. Percy mostly.

He was always there to talk things out and help you feel better. The only reason I didn't still question things around us and stumble into trouble was because he'd taken the time out for me. In another universe, it was easy to picture him as a bro. The three of us; Jason, Hazel and I together against the world.

It felt like our own little adventure- when he wasn't flirting with Percy at least. They would make sense as a couple, the same way being with Hazel made sense to me.

"What was that about Hazel?"

I gawked at the Roman in dismay, feeling small and red while he beamed.

"Nothing. I mean, uh, what did you hear?"

Jason huddled beside me, giving me a wink and glancing outside. "Must have been the wind. Hypothetically, if I did, I'd say you two make a good team. Also, she would say yes if you asked her out." Hypothetically of course."

"You think so dude?"

Jason nodded, sending me another wink. "Careful there, you're looking awful sheepish."

"Gee thanks." I put as much sarcasm as I could into those two words, but it was halfhearted. Luke, Percy, and now Jason all shipped us. What the heck, why not. We were probably going to die anyway, memento mori, right?

"I'm serious, you have fleece. You could be a ram; those horns are on point."

Fleece? I glanced down, bleating when I saw white wool and hooves where my open palms should be. The girls cheered as I clopped across the carpet, haphazardly balanced on my new digits. There I was in the chrome reflection of the refrigerator, a plump, muscled ram with horns spiraling off my skull.

The white fur gave way to fuzzy skin, and there I was, squatting awkwardly on my hands and knees.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Jason applauded, hoisting me to my feet.

That was it. I had done the impossible and shifted. Into a sheep. With no clue how I'd transformed to start with. The spot where my horns had been felt solid beneath my fingertips, think and curly hair tickling my arm as I experimented with the sensation.

Jason steered me to the couch, plopping me down and spinning a gentle breeze in for me. He was congratulating me again, but I was trying to figure out how to transform once more. This could really help things out in combat. Imagine trying to go up against a bear or an elephant.

The harder I concentrated, the faster it slipped out of my head. The sensations rushing through my bones didn't exactly help my cause. The shift had left my senses on high alert. The threads of the cushions suddenly felt coarse and threadbare, the taste of last night's spaghetti and my purge were renewed on my tongue, and the smell of blood and cleaner wafted up from the cushions- the fresh odor reeking of salt. Percy for sure then.

There was so much of it, I could even see some of the stains he had missed cleaning it out of the material. Gods what happened to him? Should I be worried, was this why he looked worse than some of the carcasses one of my stepmom's had hung in their butcher shop?

A ruckus outside captured everyone's attention and we all ran out the front door, weapons were drawn and ready for the worse. The morning sun was just beginning to rise, shedding light on an ecstatic Percy surrounded by a blackened wall of dust which zoomed around the Shoebox in supersonic circles.

The burst of heightened awareness had gratefully faded, so I didn't go deaf to the galloping cacophony that pounded the street. Th ravenette pointed down the main street and to the highway, the dust cloud rushing past cars and pedestrians alike, zooming over the horizon in a matter of seconds and out of sight.

Percy coughed, emerging dusty but excited. "Haze is definitely a rough rider! Clock her Wise Girl, I bet those two are breaking the sound barrier! She even hit all my constructs!"

The dust settled and I saw the damage. A deep trodden rut ran round the Shoebox, icy soldiers shattered to bits all over while glowing hoof prints ran out of town. It was almost cartoon-esque the way those hoofs lead to the cloud, zipping back to us faster than could be naturally possible.

The galloping came closer and closer, stopping with a screech and scratch of asphalt, the dust cloud rolling over us and hiding the scene. We all hacked and wheezed, trying to wave away the debris. Jason summoned up a zephyr, the dirt giving a curtain rise to a delighted Hazel sat atop a muscled stallion.

The steed gave a proud neigh, blurring to Percy, then to us, and back again.

"Easy there Arion, whoa there!" Hazel stroked his mane, pulling a yellow rock out of her pocket and offering it to the horse.

It snapped it up and crunched through the sediment as though it were sugar as she hopped off, hair windswept and beaming from cheek to cheek.

"Ladies and gentleman, please give a warm round of applause for our newest cavalry hero! She rides, she glides, give it up for Hazel!"

Hazel gave a mock bow while we clapped. Arion, that's right, the legendary horse with a foul mouth Hazel told me about. Color me impressed, it definitely lived up to the speedy rumors. Note to self, get Hazel padding, a helmet, and goggles.

Arion nudged Percy with his head, whinnying and pawing at the marred concrete.

"And Arion, the…" Percy paused, narrowing his eyes at the equine. "I am not saying that."

The stallion stomped its hoofs in protest, whinnying again. Percy crossed his arms, keeping his ground even when the bronco reared on its hind legs.

"I am _definitely_ not saying that."

It pouted and snorted angrily at the boy. I have to admit it was kind of strange watching someone talk to a horse and not look crazy. Then again, Jason had been talking to me as a sheep and we didn't have any problem communicating.

"No, I don't think she'd appreciate that. Oh yes, of course, that's obviously why." Percy rolled his eyes, and Arion gave a long, almost suggestive bray. Percy blushed hard. "How am I supposed to know? And my sex life is none of your business!"

The son of Poseidon stomped away, muttering something about being surrounded by perverts, cheeks burning when Arion plodded along behind, nickering sleazily. Yeah, the rumors were true about the bronco alright.

"Will you look at the time!" Jason exclaimed with faked distress "We better get started on breakfast I'm starving!"

I nodded mutely, stifling a laugh as the dejected Arion nibbled on concrete, heading for the door only to have it slammed in my face. I recoiled, giving Jason a confused frown when he opened up enough to stick his head out, lit up with an innocent smile.

"Why don't you help Hazel clean up out here, I'm sure she'd appreciate the assist. Good luck!" He gave a cheeky wink and the door slammed close again.

Oh. Hazel gave me a wave and flashed that honeydew smile of hers, hands splayed as she slowly stitched the asphalt together. I waved back feeling star struck, standing there like an idiot until there was a slam on the nearest window.

Percy, Piper, and Jason were egging me on, mouthing advice through the glass before Annabeth showed up, giving me an apologetic shrug and closing the shades. Oh! I turned back to Hazel, feeling more nervous than ever.

"So, um, you looked amazing back there. You're a natural rider."

Hazel gave a chuffed grin, like a cat with a canary, patting Arion's flank. "You think? Percy had to give me some pointers, we've been practicing whenever can lure him out with some treats."

I nodded, unsure of myself, the uncomfortable levels rising to dangerous levels as I took a few steps closer. It was easy to plan about asking out the most endearing and wholesome girl I'd ever had the pleasure of meeting, but for some reason, it was harder to actually let the words out.

What if she said no? That would make our last few days before doomsday excruciatingly awkward. Really Jason, what did I ever do to you? Apart from the whole impending end of humanity, this was the worst.

"I saw you turn into a sheep by the way!"

I stand corrected.

"Yeah, that was fun." I laughed, almost swearing when my laugh ended with a bleat.

Haze just giggle, tossing Arion another golden nugget and rounding the building. She had her powers down, the earth fused and pulled at her command; it wasn't as clean and precise as her control over metals and gems, but it was still impressive.

"What did it feel like?" She brushed some of her frizzy hair to the side.

I scratched the back of my head, trying to come up with an answer. It didn't really feel like anything other than embarrassment, what was I supposed to tell her? How did you turn shapeshifting into a sheep something cool? Oh, I could say it was like the carnivorous sheep Luke and Percy saw when they fought Charybdis!

"I dunno. Kinda felt sheepish." Okay, that was not what I was thinking, but it made Hazel laugh so I suppose that was good.

Arion trotted over, bumping me rudely, nudging Hazel and burying his nose in her pocket. When she showed off her lack of gold or gems, the stallion snorted and took off, vanishing into the woods, leaving us eating his dirt and coughing out dust.

"It was awfully cute. Maybe that's how you pull it off, you turn into whatever you feel like." She offered.

That wasn't a bad idea actually. I had felt pretty embarrassed again just now when I bleated, and Jason had pointed out the same thing earlier. So, I just had to feel whatever I wanted to be! What kind of feeling was an elephant though?

"Fingers crossed that's it, I gotta practice some more."

Hazel nodded, back turned to me as she offered, "I'd be happy to help if you don't mind."

Hazel wanted to join in? That would be epic! The two of us already made a good time, once I got this whole shapeshifting thing under control, we could make an awesome power couple on the battlefield, just like Percy and Annabeth. Wait was she flirting? Her back was turned, I couldn't read her. I should ask her out now, awkward apocalypse or not!

"I'd love that. In fact, Haze, um-"

Hazel cut me off, spinning around, arms crossed and face screwed up in determination. "Listen, Frank, can I ask you a question?"

Um…. My resolve dissolved and I swear I shrunk a couple of inches, chest deflating. Never mind, asking her later was probably smarter. Tomorrow would work. Or next week. Was she going too busy at Christmas? That was only seven months away, there would be plenty of time to work our way there.

"Sure." I managed a smile, but not much more than that.

She nodded a few times, then realized she hadn't asked anything. "It's just… Gods, alright I'm just going to spit it out. I think you're the bees' knees, Frank, you always know how to make me smile and get that honey glow real bad. I know things are going all kinds of cuckoo right now, but I've been crushing on you for a while. Do you wanna, you know, go out sometime?"

She ran out of breath, perfectly straight-faced and expectant. My jaw had dropped, there was no way I heard that right. Luckily this new body didn't seem to need a twitterpated brain to tell it what to do. I nodded dumbly and Hazel beamed, letting out a breath I hadn't realized she was holding in. She looked so happy and confident, she was so amazing it almost hurt.

She offered her hand and I took it without question, the two of us strolling down the sidewalk, grinning like an idiot. Her idiot. My tongue finally came back and I started laughing, playfully bumping my shorter girlfriend. She stuck out her tongue at me, tagging my arm and running away with me in pursuit of my new girlfriend.

Who knew all you needed to get the girl of your dreams was to be thrown into a sinister scheme to enslave the human race and destroy the gods. Doomsday didn't seem so bad when you had a date to go along for the ride.

**Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X-Ψ**

Jason POV

Location- **Odyssey Cove, Shoebox Parking Lot**

 **11** days, **11** hours, **5** minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Aphrodite was stacking up points today. Thanks to a little nudge, Hazel and Frank were finally together (I can't tell you how long those two were in the making, I had seen it from the second I came to this town), Piper was flirting with Annabeth, and even Percy seemed pretty receptive.

Yesterday had me worried. I really wasn't acting like myself. The plan had been to bring up my ideas for a new Greco-Roman society, to discover his opinion and experience on establishing a safe haven for half-bloods and starting fresh for our generation.

Instead, I ended up showboating and invading the son of Neptune's personal space. That was happening a lot lately. The kleptomania was getting out of hand, I didn't even want half the stuff I was taking. Except for Percy. I wanted him more than anything, there was an annoying longing inside me that wanted to claim him.

That really wasn't me. But I really wasn't me anymore. At least I didn't think I was. When they crash-landed and I thought Percy was cute, that was fine. This deep set, incessant need for him to be mine wasn't me. That was my voice coming out, but the words weren't mine.

I was jealous of him, I wanted his adventure, the respect he seemed to seize whenever he walked into the room. It didn't make sense. Whatever this was had mixed with a harmless crush to create an obsession.

Then again, love seemed to be in the air. Once I had something I got over it, that would fix the problem. Once Percy and I started dating, I'd be back to normal and then I could get all my plans back on track. Besides, Percy had sent off Hazel, Frank, Luke, and Piper off on an exploratory mission to check in on the townsfolk. This would be the perfect time to ask.

The handsome sea green eyed boy sprawled across the couch. He'd kept up a strong front, but the poor guy was tuckered out. I doubt he had slept at all last night, and he was still resisting the temptation to doze off now.

I hovered beside the couch, getting comfy in the air. It was easy to laugh when people noticed I was literally just hanging around, looking so astounded. Being a child of the big three rocked. Then again, Jupiter didn't seem to be the powerhouse he used to be, not when I compared my bag of tricks to Percy's.

The Seaweed Brain forced a carefree, lazy grin when he noticed me. "Hoi there sparky, what's the weather like up there?"

I gave a snort, ruffling his hair for fun. Huh, it was actually pretty soft, it'd be fun to play with when we were making out. Shut up, no, jeez I really needed to get a handle on this. Maybe I was secretly another version of Lust or Greed, that would explain so much.

"I'm like a foot above you dude, it's pretty much the same."

"You never know." Percy shrugged, shoving his face in between the cushions only to recoil a moment later, nose scrunched up. He flipped it over, trying again, before giving up and flopping to the other side of the couch.

There was a little red encrusted to the bottom of his jaw, dry blood by the look of it. I frowned, gliding to the kitchen and grabbing a wet rag and some ambrosia.

"How did last night go, apart from your 'We were awesome and kicked butt' speech you didn't give us any juicy details."

I alighted next to him, motioning for him to look up. The ravenette reluctantly lifted his head, flinching when I scrubbed away the crusted blood, offering him an ambrosia slice.

"There's nothing to really tell. Arachne had a crazy lair. Luke said he's going back to torch it as soon as he can. I got webbed up and Luke managed to save the day. The best part was we all made it home safe and sound."

I nodded slowly, unbelieving that Percy could have been caught. No one that powerful could fall into a trap, even if it was designed by some insidious spider queen. It was probably the other way around, he was sparing Luke's feelings for stumbling around like an idiot.

"You should really take better care of yourself." I scolded, getting a closer look at some of the bruises that decorated him. "Annabeth and I can take care of ourselves, we could help. Frank, Haze, and Pipes aren't that bad either, you don't have to do this alone."

"It's better than going risking you guys. Besides wouldn't want you to get hurt just cuz one of us is clowning around on the job or messing up."

I nodded, laughing and giving him a quick nudge. "Well I don't know about you clowning around, but I appreciate the jester."

Percy snorted, nudging me back when I sat beside him. "Get your own gag, I'm the punny guy around here."

"Two can play that game, makes it more fun." I challenged, trying to goad Percy into joining "Reyna wasn't big on jokes, she kicked me out on April fool's day. Don't worry, the good news was she missed me. The bad news is, her aim got better!"

Percy rolled his eyes. "Careful with that joke it's an antique."

Alright, time to go big. Puns had to be the way to his heart, maybe this would work. "Hey, are you a coffee?"

Percy snickered shaking his head, waiting for the punchline.

"Dang, cuz I like you a latte."

He laughed, and I grinned, waiting for it to sink in. Percy gave a sideways smirk, playfully shoving me and falling back on the couch. Okay, maybe I needed to add a little more oomph to help him out.

"You get it? Cuz, I like you."

Percy started to laugh, frowning after a second in bewilderment, the gears clicking as he tried to put two and two together. I decided to push the idea a little further, spontaneity taking over and leaning in to kiss him.

My nose bumped his, we were practically breathing the same air, when a finger caught my lips, pushing me away. Percy stared at me, wide-eyed and alarmed, blinking rapidly, finger still on my lips as he straightened himself.

"You… Jason, I'm sorry."

Those two words hurt more than the last time I'd been stabbed. I played it off with a grin, backing off respectfully and trying to explain.

"Sorry, I kinda got caught up in the moment. It's just we really get along, and I thought we could go for it, see where we end up."

He nodded slowly, biting his lips again, lips I had been so close to tasting, and scratching the back of his head.

"Jason, I… You're a great guy. I'm not just being nice, if I were single I would go after you in a second."

Wait what? "If you were single?"

Percy shook his head a little too hard, black hair messing itself further up. "I mean I am single, I'm not dating anyone yet, or right now. I meant I don't date, haven't since Annabeth. It's nothing personal I swear, if I wasn't taken-not that I am, really! I'm sorry if I was leading you on or anything."

I raised my hands, smiling broadly and calmly, "Dude, it's alright, no worries. We're still cool?"

Percy nodded eagerly, looking relieved at how easy I went down. I really didn't feel bad from that rejection. In fact, I felt strangely empty and focused, like everything that had been dragging me down had been drained out of me.

"Oi, Seaweed Brain, get in here!" Annabeth called from the training room.

Percy gave me a guilty smile and an apologetic wave, blurring into the training room, the door slamming shut behind him as he went. That could have gone a lot better. But I felt better now. I was a new me, better and ready for a challenge.

All those stupid ideas about building a new haven were out, it was time to focus on the bigger picture. Jealousy was demanding tribute; I needed a Percy, a Percy who belonged to somebody else. That wasn't fair, so I was going to have to level the playing field.

No didn't mean no in our world, Jupiter and Zeus proved that, right? A tiny voice protested, but it was a voice that brought back other feelings like shame and disappointment. Right now, it was time to go for the gold and take what I wanted.

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**Yay, more filler. Hope you're still with me, had to fill some holes and tie up some ends with these last few chapters I had missed before, hope you're enjoying however. We're about halfway through, so hang in there, things are really starting to heat up! I should be updating fairly soon, so keep checking in this week, I know alerts have been kinda funky for the past few days. Anyways, you know the drill, please read and review, any feeback makes writing life that much better! Have a wonderful morning/afternoon/evening, 朋友们，再见!**


	26. Fractures

**Disclaimer; Own not Percy Jackson and the Olympians, do I.**

* * *

**Fractures**

Annabeth POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, Shoebox, Training Room**

 **11**  days,  **11** hours, **3**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

There was a growing possibility that my feelings for Piper McLean were not purely platonic. Despite exhaustive efforts, it was proving difficult to pinpoint the exact moment she had advanced from the friend zone. Anxiety demanded that I map out our entire relationship and analyze the details.

Cliché as it was, love was illogical. It held the potential to warp the mind and distort the self. While I enjoyed her flirtatious behavior, and couldn't deny my own attraction, there was no room for romance here.

Percy wasn't the only one on a mission of redemption. Five years. Five long years ago, I had abandoned Percy, half a decade spent wallowing in guilt and regret. It was all for him, everything I had done; it was always for him.

Five years ago, our grand escape was perfect, flawless in every detail. The project had taken months of scheming, time spent while the two of us rotted from the inside out, crossing lines that should never have been crossed. But escape was at hand.

No mistakes were made- we took every precaution, stole no risks. Our prize was defeat. That was life. We held all the right cards, played the right pieces and made the right choices. Yet still we lost.

On the eve of our escape, Kronos arrived for a surprise inspection of the barracks. Percy was retrieving our final load- we had held off collecting it so as to avoid suspicions. Our ride was prepped and waiting, there was no going back. The vanishing runes carved into the frame were almost charged, and then we would be gone.

In its final stages, the magic pulsed, a warning bell to Percy that we were ready. The Titan King sensed our countdown, he came running and started bringing the hideout down on my head, tearing it apart brick by brick.

It should have been over, then and there. I would be captured, tortured, Percy would be revealed as a traitor, and we would both be executed. Something far worse happened that night; Percy became a hero.

He arrived in time to see the chaos, he knew the two of us wouldn't be able to make it out with Kronos on our tail. So, he decided that only one of us would make it out. The Seaweed Brain knocked me out and activated our ride. While I was being safely spirited away, he was tearing our secret home apart, stalling for time.

He never told me what Kronos did to him. Even if Percy had destroyed the evidence, the Titan King had to have seen our treachery when my escape was discovered. The idiot sold out his future to ensure I was safe.

I didn't even have a choice. I knew without a doubt if the situation were reversed, I would have done the same without a moment's hesitation. That didn't change the horrors my freedom had cost Percy. It had only taken another year for Percy to finally be spirited away from that hell, but it was more damage than I could ever fix.

Of course, only a year after that I stumbled upon some… questionable machinations. A diverging plotline, a nascent player in this game who had left a paper trail for me to shadow, all the way to Odyssey Cove.

There was still a loose end in that mystery, a nagging thought that told me I had been led here on purpose. There was no doubting my sources however, Kronos' new developments, plans of world domination of a different kind, I knew without a doubt that the gods would send Percy. It only made sense after all- he knew all too well about the Bonds Kronos had created.

I came out of hiding, allowed myself to be drawn in and tethered to that eight-legged abomination. The years leading up to his release had been filled with grueling agony, assassinations, theft, heart-wrenching sacrifice, and the birth of my scheme, a plan more brilliant than anyone could hope to understand.

Ending this Moirai Trial would be simple, Percy's idiocy and heroic instincts notwithstanding. The real challenge was what came next. This was only the beginning, and this time, there would be no stopping us.

Speaking of Percy's stupidity though…

"Sorry, I kinda got caught up in the moment. It's just we really get along, and I thought we could go for it, see where we end up."

A peek out of the training room confirmed Jason and Percy in what might have been a compromising position, my ravenette rapidly backpedaling against an enamored Envy. Hmm, I hadn't anticipated the Roman voicing his interests so soon, I had been counting on Percy's obliviousness to spare Jason's feelings for a few more days.

"I mean I am single, I'm not dating anyone yet, or right now. I meant I don't date, haven't since Annabeth. It's nothing personal I swear, if I wasn't taken-not that I am, really! I'm sorry if I was leading you on or anything."

It was becoming painful to listen to him trying to cover up his secret, digging himself deeper and deeper with each incomplete sentence. As fun as it usually was to watch him squirm when we debated, allowing him to do so in front of Jason could not be tolerated. Some things were better left forgotten after all.

Stepping out of sight I hollered, "Oi, Seaweed Brain, get in here!"

Relief was plain as he scampered in, jumping about a foot into the air when I slammed the door behind him. The boy laughed it off, starting to advance with a smile. My stony face remained set in place as I latched onto his extended wrist, ducking and flipping him around, tossing him down to the mat with a thud.

Percy was dazed until he noticed the handful of throwing daggers in my hand. "Annabeth-!"

He was gone in a blue blur, razor sharp blades embedding themselves deep into the firm padding. The exercise bar was in my hands and I was swinging it around, the pole sliding as easily as a spear when I jabbed at his head, feigning and striking against his legs.

I didn't give him the luxury of thinking or trying to talk his way out of this. We had a problem, and it ran deeper than a Roman with a little crush or the Death Boy that kept stalking him. This was war, Percy and I were keeping so many secrets, everything was at risk. And right now, Percy was threatening our chance of victory.

Percy was holding out on us.

The most powerful demigod I had ever known was pulling his punches in a life or death match for the world. For a while, I hadn't been certain. Time in prison can dull your need for battle and kill more spirits than the two of us ever could. Perhaps he just needed time to readjust.

Except he had shown the full scope of his abilities defeating the hydra and wiping out the onslaught at city hall. Arachne, that disgusting little arachnid, had taken advantage of his weakness and nearly killed him. There was something foul here, something Percy was keeping from me, and it was time discern the truth.

Percy ducked in the nick of time, starting to look worried; "Easy there, you almost took my head off."

He tried to chuckle, but the sound turned sour when I brought the other end against his ribs. The weight bar came crashing down on his fell form and he rolled, turning straight into my kick. I brought the bar down again and Percy spun around, grabbing the other end and starting to fight back.

He twisted up, nimble feet cracking down on top of my knuckles and forcing me to relinquish my grip. Percy tossed it away, using my own momentum to spin him away, dodging right in the path of several air-born blades.

Blue blitzed to the wall, a light splatter of crimson in its wake. Percy was panting erratically, not sure whether to clutch his cracked ribs or his shredded arm, eyes widening as I pulled one of the practice pistols out from behind me.

The mythological world wasn't fond of firearms (legitimate fire arms excluded sadly) the weapons were unstable in our hands, not to mention unwieldy due to the lack of proper ammo. There was enough for one or two shots in here and that was it.

That should be enough to pump some sense into Percy- or a few rounds of bronze. I suppose either would work. Percy gave an instinctive tug at the water cooler in the corner, but I'd emptied it long before he came around. No healing factors, no extra weapons.

We were in a fully stocked dojo of Mars, he didn't need anything else. It was time we got some serious use out of this room. Calculations popped through my head, telling me to pause for two more heartbeats.

Those beats let Percy come out on the offensive, Riptide beaming into existence and rushing me as I pulled the trigger. Classic Seaweed Brain, always leaping into danger when it could be avoided. I pulled the trigger. It was a non-lethal hit of course, accurate to perception as it went through his leg.

If I was on point, every major artery and bone would have been avoided. Let's hope my aim was as sharp as my mind. The second shot ricocheted off Riptide, the same broad bladed block waving wildly and forcing me to drop the gun.

Percy jabbed and retreated, his style unpredictable and wild. Or rather it should have been. Gods how had it taken me so long to see, he was leaving openings everywhere. There was one right there on his Achilles tendon, another in the small of his back, not to mention his exposed jugular or the crook of his arm.

I settled for the small of his back, ducking under his overextended swing and slashing up. He stumbled but I wasn't finished. I yanked him back and letting the knives rake over his shoulder and chest, sinking one solidly into his wrist, sinking to my knees and elbowing his knee out.

It buckled in at an odd angle, Percy crumbling to the floor and then crashing forward as I landed a well-placed kick to his broad back. He buckled up against a weapons rack, swords and armor tumbling down on top of him as he curled up, trembling like a leaf in the wind.

He was black and blue with more than a little crimson mixed in there just for show.

"I give" He wheezed, fighting just to sit up.

The damage from last night had really taken its toll, perhaps mercy was in order. Very well, time to wrap things up. I just needed a few more minutes to get the point through that seaweed brain of his. Four minutes and nineteen seconds later, I was satisfied with our lesson.

The room was completely and utterly wrecked. Swords and spears were sticking out of the walls, the wracks had been shattered, armor and scraps scattered across the ground, the ropes of the ring snapped, and the whole thing stank of salt and rust. I should have put in some tarps beforehand, I forgot how much children of Poseidon could bleed.

Percy was flat on his back underneath me, one eye swollen shut, arm dislocated, and decorated in mild contusions and lacerations, fresh and dark. He was out cold. The boy could really take one hell of a pounding. That had gone rather well I think.

I hummed a happy tune, venturing out to the kitchen and filling up a jug. Jason was eyeing me worriedly, concern evident.

"Don't worry," I soothed, adding a placating "It's not my blood."

This seemed to have the opposite effect intended. Jason seemed more panicked than before, starting to make his way to the training room. That wouldn't do, I needed more time with Percy. An easy fix however, the Roman would be out of my hair before I could count to ten.

"Could I talk you into a huge favor? I need someone to check on the others. I would go myself, but they would probably spot me. I hear you aren't too bad at going unnoticed." Envy puffed out his chest a bit, a cocky grin starting to form. "I don't think I could trust Percy to it either, it has to be you. Would that be too much to ask?"

Pride and envy went hand in hand, Jason was already caught hook line and sinker. He was so tangled up in his Bond that such simple manipulation was practically comical. The best part was I hadn't even had to explain the condition Percy was in.

Jason puffed up like a peacock. "I'm all over it! Be back in a flash Wise Girl!"

Predictable as always. He even pocketed my fake wallet off the table when he thought I wasn't looking on the way out. While he soared off into the heavens I lugged the water jug back into the training room, cautiously locking the door behind me.

It was a bit of a struggle; the water bubbled and jiggled, sensing Percy's need. He jerked up as I upturned it, liquid spiraling down and dousing him from head to toe. It was difficult to be patient, watching quietly as his skin folded itself back, healthy tan breaking through the blackened purple patches.

He gave a feeble groan, the sound rumbling his fragile chest, gradually blinking awake. I waited a few more minutes to give him time to come to his sense, then cleared my throat. I felt a little stab of pride as Percy jerked back into attack mode, breath spiking as Riptide leveled at my face. Part one of this intervention was a success, he was still feeding that fighting spark inside him.

"Why are you holding back?" I inquired, brushing the blade aside.

Percy huffed, adrenaline pumping but doing his best to slow down. "What are you talking about? Gods Annabeth what the hell was all that-"

I slapped him and he fell flat on his back again, curling up and drawing his legs close, eyeing me warily.

"I can't beat you, Percy," I admitted, sitting crisscross and motioning for him to come closer. "Not without planning ahead and never in a fair fight. We're equaled in most odds, but you are the strongest demigod of our generation. There's no questioning that. I have seen you topple gods, ruin Titans and slay demons- this Trial is a joke."

One of his pupils was oddly dilated- he might have a concussion. He was staying quiet too, staring at me, but through me at the same time. What were you hiding Percy?

"You could have fought me off just now. You didn't even land a hit; do you know that?"

Percy snorted, pointing to a slight scuff on my knuckles. "Then where did that come from?"

In answer, I grabbed his outstretched finger and yanked. Percy recoiled, seizing up when I grabbed him and staying stiff as I hugged him to my chest, burying his head against my shoulder.

"You're an idiot," I mumbled into his hair, stroking his back calmingly.

It took a while, but Percy finally relaxed, wrapping his arms around me and lying down, tugging me onto his chest. Gods, have I mentioned how good it was to have Percy back? I would do anything for this boy. And if that meant roughing him up to save his life in the long run then so be it.

I never wanted to lose him again. He managed a low, rasping giggle, peeking out behind his lashes.

"This was an intervention, wasn't it?" I nodded solemnly as his head flopped back, sighing. "Guess this is payback for when I pulled your intervention back in the army."

I would be lying if I didn't admit the idea had sprung from the experience. Being tossed around like a rag doll put things in perspective. Nothing illustrated the point more than having a loved one show you how helpless you were. Hence his beatdown today, to show him the error of his ways.

Pain was the unfortunate universal language. It transcended all barriers, pierced all prejudices, and cut down every belief. Harming Percy was unthinkable- to wound him was to wound myself- yet it was the only way. Any deed, any price.

Unless he accepted the truth, he was going to die here. It was kill or be killed, no one had the luxury of holding back in this world.

"Percy." I pressed, tone stained with unease.

The boy coiled into himself, drawing his knees to his chest and hanging his head low. He was biting his lip- his biggest tell when he was anxious. Please Percy, just open up! I recoiled when I heard a sound like a sob, reaching out to comfort him when Perc sprang to life. An irritatingly carefree laugh left me cringing, his toothless simper in a place of the frown that should be there.

"Don't sweat it Annie. I get why you're worried, I do, I really do. Mistakes were made, it won't happen again. I swear on Styx."

Was he really missing the point or just trying to pacify me? Regardless he hadn't answered the question, he was deliberately avoiding the subject.

"Percy-"

Breezing over me with a flawless façade he gave me a dismissive wave and rose to his feet "Gotta catch a few z's then I'll be bounce back. Hate to ask but can you handle the rookies for the day, I don't trust Luke more than I can throw him."

He laughed and made to stand up when I cut him off, adding "That isn't very far at the moment. Which leads us back to the question of why."

We stood there at an impasse, unwavering. This new mask he was wearing slipped for a split second, his faux cheer drooping to fear then bouncing back into place. Percy and I had our secrets, even from each other. But we never risked the others safety, not if it couldn't be helped.

"You are not an idiot. A ridiculous Seaweed Brain, absolutely, but never an idiot. This game you're playing isn't safe for anyone, especially yourself. Unless that is your intention, to kill us all. Is that what you want now?"

Hurt shock managed to take precedence and he stepped back, brow furrowed. "I don't want to hurt anyone Annabeth, I swear-"

I advanced a step to match his retreat, refusing to let up, "It might not be what you want, but that's the endgame, Percy. Now explain, what's holding you back? Is it Kronos, is he exerting his influence on you?"

Black bangs snapped as he vehemently shook his head, a hint of desperation cracking through his failing masquerade.

"He's not, I would tell you if he was, you know I would! It's all me! I know I messed up-"

That was the understatement of the century. "Mistakes were made- that's what you said right? Another mistake like that and you die, Percy. Luke won't be there to save you, he's trying to kill you, remember? Only one of you get to make it out of this alive, and that has to be you. But if you keep pulling your punches, none of us are going to make it out of here."

To his credit he tried to stand his ground, crossing his arms and standing tall. "Believe me, I know. But I have it under control, trust me."

I gave him a disgusted look, trying to reign myself in. This was necessary, but more tact was required to get through to Percy. And here I was assuming the beatdown had set him straight.

"Don't lie to me, I deserve better than that." The words cut deeper than any of the blades in this room. Percy hung his head, flinching as I moved closer and pulled him into a hug. "And so, do you."

Quiet claimed the training room once again. Years of war taught me to be wary of it, yet I kept still, determined to choke the life out of the issue that had come between us. I would not lose Percy, even to himself. I had fought that battle before, and I would do it again if it came to that.

"It's tough being back here." He lamented, grip tightening at the confession, "On Olympus, it was easy to forget. At least for a little while. I could pretend that I wasn't me."

Playing pretend was a wonderful thing. Putting on a mask made it easier to distance yourself from your actions, to escape the consequences. No one wanted to look back on their life and see an endless bone garden.

"I saw  _him,_  Annie. I'm losing my mind."

The words come out as a laugh, doing their best to suppress the fear that was gleaming through. So that was it. That explained quite a lot. In fact, that explained everything, didn't it?

"When?"

"Before Kronos Reset the ambush. He's been following me around ever since I got out. It's different than last time."

That was… worrying. The funny thing about masks was if you wore them often enough, they stopped being simple façades. Masks were especially dangerous in our world, a reality where they gained a life of their own if left on for too long. If it had been after the Reset, then his presence made sense. Leave it to Kronos to bring out the shadows. But before…

"Why didn't you tell me?" I brushed the hair off his face, trying to find an answer in his eyes.

It was already becoming clear though. I felt foolish for being so blind to his struggles. Percy was Percy after all. Heroes change their colors as often as cheetahs change their spots. He hadn't wanted to worry me. He hadn't wanted to worry himself. He was afraid.

Percy was as mortal as anyone, as fragile as the rest of us and what was worse, was that he knew just how much there was to fear in the world. It made sense, the Titans Wrath wasn't a title to be taken lightly.

The name alone left a gaping wound, a reminder that Percy was a living weapon. He was holding back because he was afraid of himself. I couldn't blame him. As I said, the boy had brought down the gods themselves, held up the sky, and swam in rivers of blood, drained from more victims than he could ever count.

"Annie…" There was the pain, tears starting to trickle down his cheeks. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head, holding him close when he started shaking, finally letting it out.

"After you left, it only got worse." More pain because I hadn't been there to protect him. "I could have run away, but I just made it worse. I only wanted to make it all stop, I didn't mean to… I can't let that out again. I don't want to hurt people anymore."

Heartstrings tugged and now I was crying with him, uncontrollably weeping. It was as if the room were stained blue, the weight of depression overwhelming and infectious. For a long time, there was only the sound of us sobbing, trying to reign it in while I held him. It was tragically humorous how we always ended up like this. Fractured and on the edge. Athena and Poseidon cared for us, but we were all we really had.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep this up… The nightmares are only getting worse, I can tell feel myself falling apart and it's all I can do to keep smiling and try to fix the mistakes I know I can't make up. Annabeth-"

I cut him off with a firm "Retirement's only a year away."

Percy blinked in confusion and I wiped away a tear. He was a lot better at this, by this part of our screw up's he had me smiling, even if I didn't truly feel like smiling. I tugged that stripe of white in his hair, giving him a playful shove.

"We're ancient Percy. We beat the odds, we made it to our twenties. Did it suck getting here? Without a doubt. One more year, that's all. Then we're done."

"Done?" he echoed hollowly.

I nodded, entwining our fingers and tracing out a picture on the mat. "No more gods, no more monsters, no regrets. You know the plan. We're in the final stretch here Percy. I know I'm asking a lot, but you just have to hold a little longer. It'll be worth it. You know it."

Words were on the tip of his tongue; the last defenses were coming down. But then the front door opened and our expedition group came waltzing back in. I went deaf from internal screaming as the defenses I had literally pried apart snapped back into place, Percy's perma-smile mask in place as they came closer.

"Annabeth? Perce? You in here?"

The locked door rattled while my brain scrambled. After their icy reception and mine, I had anticipated the denizens of Odyssey Cove to take more time to investigate and talk to. Then again, the familiar faces might have helped them smooth things over. Damn.

No matter, another mission, perhaps a scouting adventure to the coast and back should give sufficient time. Yes, that would do, at least to let me cement the ground work I had begun with Percy. I swore to myself when I thought of the boy, realizing that once again I was being foolish. He was unpredictably predictable which, in this scenario, translated to-

"Yeah, we're in here give me one sec! I can't wait to hear all about the mission, tell me everything, we've got time!"

I deadpanned, grabbing his arm as he strolled towards the door. He glanced back, faltering as I gave him a pleading look. He turned to the door, then back to me, biting his lip, hand tangled in his ebony locks.

Reluctantly, I led him to the door, slowly unlocking the handle. The others were already out in the kitchen and sprawled across the couch, they didn't pay us much mind as we skirted the kitchen and made our way to the bedrooms.

"Do you think it's a good idea to be taking on more stress right now? If what you said is out there…"

"I promise we'll talk later. I'll go take a shower and get my head in the game, we'll have a regular, monster free, chill night, and after they go to sleep I'll tell you everything. Deal?"

Every single brain cell was telling me this wasn't the best course, that this needed to be confronted and comforted before it was allowed to fester any further. Empathy and sympathy, the useless bullies of any child of Athena, however, had other plans.

"Deal. Will you be ok until then?"

He stepped into the bathroom, fist clutched firmly around the edge of the door. Uncertainty swelled in his aura, only for him to use his perma-smile on me.

"I'm fine." Percy insisted one last time, closing the door behind him.

**Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X-Ψ**

Percy POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, Shoebox, Showers**

 **11**  days,  **10** hours, **9**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

I was not fine. Wait no, that was a lie, I was cool, everything was under control. Apparently, that was actually the lie; the bathroom pipes burst in outrage, splashing and spraying in every direction. It should have been an easy fix, I willed the water to stop.

Except instead of stopping it surged, the shower faucets starting to leak and grown while I failed to plug the leak. There was a knock on the door and I hit the floor, eyes wide and crouching low, hand halfway to Riptide.

"Uh, Percy? We didn't order a bath out here."

Right, the deluge of water running out under the door and into the living room. A steadying breath or two later managed to bring me back to reality, forcing a smile into my voice as I responded.

"My bad, guess table six ordered the flood!"

There was awkward, pity laughter from the other side. Bigger fish to fry though, the bathroom was on its way to being a swamp. Or was the son of Poseidon on the verge of a mental breakdown the bigger issue here? It wasn't like he had lost all hope in himself or struggled through the night because sleep was wracked with guilt and riddled with a thousand damned faces.

No, that was under control. I was under control.

I pushed my regrets and crippling depression out in the same breath, screwing my eyes shut and emptying my mind. Part of me was desperately wanting to joke about how easy it was, to make a crack about nothing rattling around in that seaweed brain of mine.

My ears had popped and my lungs were filling with a dull burn, the weight of the world was still crushing down on me. Gods this was worse than the weight of the world. I would know, I had literally held the sky for almost a week with Annabeth. That experience was burned into my bones, it had nearly broken us- and you want to know the sick part?

I was close to begging to hold it up again, pleading to have myself crushed. There wasn't time to think up there and even nightmares couldn't latch on, the exhaustion kept them all at bay. The room was ringing, the sound reverberating inside my brain, but the echoes of rushing water had ceased.

I was in control.

I opened my eyes, breath still locked in my chest, taking a cautious look around. Droplets were suspended in midair and jets cemented firmly to their pipes, splayed out in spiraling shoots and twisted tentacles.

It fought me, every drop begging to be set free. Water needed to flow, it had to change and shift. I was born of the sea, I had to flow too, now more than ever. How could I though? Moving on wasn't as easy as most people made it out to be.

Fingers curled and my hand moved on its own, giving the room a slow sweep. The downpour mimicked my action, gentle waves pulling in, the miniature lake that had drained into the living room seeping back in with the tide. I was aware of every droplet that bobbed and weaved, drawing them into orbit and then down into their respective pipes.

Ice rippled out, a quick, terrible fix for a bigger problem. But it would have to do. See, I could do this. Today was a fresh start, a better start. A hop in the shower helped. Scalding steam melted my anxieties away and slowly stitched my broken body back together.

What I needed right now was a quick dip in the ocean. The sea washed the pain away, every current's ebb and flow were more addictive than any cocaine or drug the world could tempt me with. If I could just swim offshore and dive, even in this godforsaken, monster infested ocean, maybe I could fix what was wrong inside of me.

Because Annabeth was right, as usual. I was holding back… It wasn't my fault, I swear! I wasn't trying to weigh down our friends, I didn't want them to get hurt! Back in my cell, I never had these problems, none of these urges existed.

Four years on Olympus had bottled up everything, it transformed me back into the Percy I was supposed to be. But you couldn't erase the past, it refused to be forgotten. It was bubbled up in my chest, locked away from my heart. Only the pain was starting to poke through.

Repression wasn't exactly the smartest way to deal with trauma. Okay, it was probably one of the worse ways to handle it. I had been so sure that I would be under control when I crash landed in this town. I hadn't even given in and smothered Luke that first night! If that wasn't a sign I was on the right track, I don't know what is.

As more days passed, the harder it became to keep the past buried. Nightmares preyed on me every chance they could and Kronos and his cronies taunted me at every turn. The worst part was that I knew this was all my fault. All the friendliness and promises I made to the seven wouldn't change the fact that I was the reason they were Bonded in the first place. I even screwed up Nico, more than I already had!

How were you supposed to hope for a better future when you were already forgetting their names and faces, accepting their deaths  _Li_ _ **K**_ _E_ _ **yO**_ _U d_ _ **I**_ _D A_ _ **l**_ _L t_ _ **hE**_ _ **O**_ _t_ _ **h**_ _e_ _ **R**_ _S_?

I was spinning before the thought finished, a feral growl spearing across my lips. The steam had condensed, I couldn't see an inch in front of my face.  _He_  fought for control when I waved it away, steam swirling and climbing in chaotic zephyrs. I saw a flicker of blue and charged.

For a split second my fist was careening towards those spotlighting gold eyes of his. Then he was gone and my fist smacked into the tile. Well, through it actually. Most of my forearm sunk into the hole, the Shoebox's inner workings retaliating to my attack. My knuckles were bloody when I withdrew my shaking arm, but I didn't feel pain.

I didn't feel anything.

Physically at least. Pain reverberated in my soul, it threatened to pop the bubble and unleash hell. With numb, awkward steps, I hobbled back to my showers, letting the spray run over my open wound. The skin pulled close fast, too fast. Magic was bubbling out of me, I had to reign it in.

 _**y** _ _O_ _**u'R** _ _E h_ _**uR** _ _T_ _**inG** _ _. l_ _**e** _ _T m_ _**E** _ _**H** _ _eL_ _**P.** _

Did I say reign it in? Oops. I meant unleash a geyser or hate and iron hard water bubbles. They zoned in on those eyes, but they vanished, the door cutting through the steam. With a yelp, I managed to freeze them in time, trembling as I pulled them back.

I was scared, not because of the pathetic echo that was haunting me. He was a problem. A problem I solved four years ago. No, what terrified me was that when I attacked, I realized that maybe I didn't want to be in control anymore.

"Go away," I demanded, sinking wet floor.

They drew near though, circling slowly. For some reason, he wasn't here to curb stomp me again. He wanted to help. I should let him, he was the reason I was alive in the first place if I just-

"And get out of my head!"

There was a wet slap as they sat down across from me, my doppelgänger leaning back and slowly appraising me. I didn't focus on him. He wasn't real, he never had been. He was nothing but a mistake, a one in a billion fluke.

" _You need my help Perseus_."

He was using Nico now, his face and his voice were matched with the eyes of that monster. I replied with polite silence and an icicle to his kidney. It melted harmlessly before it could do damage, but it made me feel better imagining impaling him on an icicle. Oh gods, that wasn't a good thing, was it?

The Not-Nico sighed, crossing his arms in resignation. " _Fine, if not me then talk to Annabeth. You are dangerously close to the edge Perseus, I won't let you destroy yourself."_

I let out a bark of laughter, something akin to a very angry seal, turning my back on him. My demigod senses were screaming at me, every cell in my body was ordering me to keep him in my sights. I wouldn't though. He wasn't real. He couldn't hurt me.

"Destroy myself? Isn't that what you wanted? You kept monologuing about picking up the pieces and breaking me. Wait, don't answer that. I'm busy ignoring you."

With undeserved satisfaction, I shut off the water and wriggled into fresh clothes, cleaning up and making to walk out of the bathroom. I'd have to get Annie to help me fix the pipes later. And the hole. And my mind.

 _ **B**_ _r_ _ **e**_ **Ak** _i_ _ **N**_ _g y_ _ **Ou**_ _B_ _ **R**_ _in_ _ **G**_ _s_ _ **C**_ _H_ _ **aNg**_ _E._ _ **Y**_ _OU_ _ **a**_ _R_ _ **en'**_ _T b_ _ **R**_ _ok_ _ **E**_ _n_ _ **p**_ _E_ _ **rS**_ _Eu_ _ **S**_ _._ _ **A**_ _Ll_ _ **yO**_ _u'r_ _ **E**_ _ **D**_ _oIn_ _ **G**_ _I_ _ **S**_ _t_ _ **H**_ _ro_ _ **Wi**_ _N_ _ **g**_ _a t_ _ **A**_ _n_ _ **TR**_ _u_ _ **M**_ _l_ _ **IK**_ _e_ _ **T**_ _h_ _ **e**_ _ **CH**_ _il_ _ **D**_ _y_ _ **O**_ _u_ _ **AR**_ _e_.

The little voice in my head that usually warned me against doing stupid things cheered to punch him in the face, and I found myself whirling around, marching over towards a frightened Not-Nico. They didn't exist, there was no blood to bend and pull with my magic. That didn't stop my foot from colliding with their throat.

It felt good to beat somebody else up- even if they did look like Nico. After Arachne and Annabeth, it was my turn to finally turn the tables and wreck somebody. For something that wasn't real, he could really take a pummeling.

His face was a mess, and with each punch, he shifted to someone else I knew. The shower really had done the trick, I didn't even get tired as I kept going, fists crunching bone with each hit. I found Riptide and whirled the pen around, aiming at his eye.

He finally moved and I growled, grabbing his throat and holding him still. "Stand still and take it! You wanted me to kill you the other night, so go back to hell!"

" _Please stop you're scaring me_." He wheezed hoarsely, Not-Nico's beaten face emerging to beg for mercy.

"Goddamn right, you should be scared of me!" I brought the pen down, but he was gone.

I hadn't been hitting him at all- there was a cratered hole from where I had punched the tiles, still wet and now sticky with red.

 _T_ _ **H**_ _e_ _ **N**_ _Y_ _ **Ou**_ _a_ _ **R**_ _e n_ _ **O**_ _ **BE**_ _Tt_ _ **e**_ _R T_ _ **H**_ _a_ _ **n**_ _ **i**_ _ **A**_ _M-_ _ **a**_ _t_ _ **R**_ _uE_ _ **ti**_ _Ta_ _ **N**_ _s w_ _ **RaTH**_.

Realizing that I should probably be in agony from wailing on the floor, my hands decided to stop working, the bones aching and almost exposed. Fantastic. Great going Percy, as if you weren't already messed up enough. Now you have to…

The wounds were gone. Bones had already clicked back into place and my skin was a healthy tan. I needed water to heal though, how had I- thought was melting away, I felt jumpy and excited, my smile was coming back in full force. Who cared insults from some stupid freak or that the way I was leaking magic pretty much screamed imminent meltdown? Everything was bubbled up again, I was free.

With that in mind, I bounced into the living room to cheers from my friends. See, everything was good. No one needed to know about that little breakdown, everything was A-Okay! The moment was perfect too!

Hazel and Frank had hooked up, Piper seemed proud of herself, eagerly describing how she had spotted a patrol sneaking into the woods to a patient Annabeth. Even Jason was in good spirits, hopping next to me and chilling as we all laughed.

It was great. Until he put his arm around the back of my chair. Not that there was anything wrong with being friendly, because that's what friends do, and that's what we are. It wasn't like every time he made a move on me I felt as like I betrayed my future dream not boyfriend a little or anything.

Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, come one. My brain was scrambling a little too much, anything that didn't help me laugh and smile got thrown into the bubble. Which is why I laughed and convinced everybody it was time for dinner, the overbearing Roman lost in a sea of happy faces.

"Percy- no more!" Hazel wheezed, laughing so hard she couldn't stand straight.

Frank was joking about celery, sticking to stalks in front of his mouth like walrus tusks- funny I couldn't remember seeing him eat the last few days. Should I be worried about that at all? Some of these quick fixes for the sins were a bit drastic, some of the 'cure's' might be as bad as the disease. Nope, it was probably nothing! Happy thoughts!

Who has two thumbs and doesn't care that Luke's swearing or that Annabeth is looking worried because he's obviously overcompensating emotionally for an upcoming mental breakdown? This guy, this guy right here! Happy thoughts people, these things are the way of the future! Talk about your dam jokes, this kept everything at bay.

"Hey Percy, dance off come on!" Piper challenged, "Don't think just cuz you can out dance some singing chicken at the club means you're going to take me down!"

"You're on girl!"

Piper and I started bouncing and spinning- I think I was doing the Charleston, it was the only dance I really knew. Those fancy moves I had at the club were only from Aphrodite instincts I'd borrowed through Piper's Bond. A Bond I lost when I- Happy thoughts!"

"Yeah, go wild!" Luke jeered, tossing dollar bills at me.

Wait what? When did I get up on the counter? Hazel was grabbing bowls and dishes out of the way as I stomped around, trying to keep up with Piper as she executed a flawless routine in perfect rhythm with the song.

"You got this Pipes!" Frank cheered, helping Piper onto the table.

She shot me a wink, tapping out a long-winded showstopper, showing off her newfound confidence. A lot of those moves would be great in combat, I once knew a ballerina assassin, very bendy and sassy just like Piper. At least she had been before I stabbed her. Happy thoughts Percy!

Everybody was laughing and smiling, everything was perfect. Happy thoughts. This was the way it should be, the way it was supposed to be. Maybe in another world, it was. Maybe there I never lost mom, maybe I never joined Kronos. Maybe…

No!

I stopped dancing, blinking rapidly when I heard someone crying. Hazel was bent over the counter, chopping up vegetables, desperately wiping tears out of her eyes. Noticing our attention, she waved away our worry, pointing out the onions on the counter.

"They're really strong." She laughed, trying to control the waterworks gushing down her cheeks.

Everybody laughed it off, quickly tossing the onions in with the rest of our dinner mix and moving on. No one else seemed to realize that Hazel was blue. Like, literally blue, a shade so dark it screamed depression and loneliness.

They didn't seem to notice the fact that she wasn't the only blue thing- this side of the kitchen was engulfed in a blue bubble, with me at the center. I didn't dare breath as I watched it slowly fade back, the color returning to the world as the bubble receded, my heart hammering faster than it should be. As soon as Hazel was outside the tears stopped and she was back to normal, wiping the tearstains clear and laughing with the others.

"Are you okay?" Annabeth asked, working her way through our dancing cooks.

I wanted to warn her but I didn't dare make a move, I couldn't risk it. She hesitated when I mouthed a crazed message, but didn't understand. I panicked, this was not how things were supposed to be, come on happy thoughts!

Annabeth crossed over into the bubble. Her face instantly screwed up, blinking back a flood of tears unsuccessfully. A second later she was balling her eyes out, looking confused and worried. This… was really not good. Apparently, magic wasn't the only thing I was leaking anymore.

I hopped down, the rest of the room losing focus as I tried to warn Annabeth to explain what was happening. She reached out, gladly accepting my steadying hand. And then she was crying harder than ever. This time her face was painted with genuine sorrow, heartbroken agony ruining her proud features.

I jerked my hand away and rushed into the corner, taking the bubble with me. She didn't stop crying though, everyone else was starting to look worried as they circled around her. This was my fault whatever this was, I needed to get out of here. Happy thoughts, come on, pull it together!

"Dude are you alright?" Luke asked slowly, coming closer.

Running away from a crying girl and slamming yourself against a wall probably wasn't the best way to avoid people. Luckily for him, I was already running towards the door when he stepped into my bubble. He stiffened, looking uncomfortable as he rubbed tears out of his eyes, shouting my name as I raced out the door.

Blue still hovered in the air around me, my bubble of depression growing and pulsing as I sprinted down the street. What was happening to me? Stupid question, I knew exactly what was happening. Our magic was tied to our emotions. The stronger the emotion, the stronger the magic. And let me tell you, I had some pretty strong emotions right now. These were the emotions that found the regular feelings in dark alleys and beat them up for their lunch money.

And they wanted out.

A little old lady started weeping as I passed and I sprinted across the street, trying to give everyone a wide berth. It was harder than I wanted to admit, the more I panicked, the bigger and darker the bubble grew. There had to be somewhere I could go without hurting people.

Crying might not be dangerous to your health, at least until it's a crazed son of Poseidon making you cry. We had a bad habit of draining all the water around us, and crying to death wasn't a death I'd wish on anybody. Except for Kronos. Gods that would be creepy to watch.

I couldn't go to the ocean. Thanks to my own scouting, I knew that the beach was the very edge of my manacle. Any further and I'd be begging Uncle Zeus to zap me. Water was the key here, and lots of it. I needed to feel at home I just needed- Dad!

That was it, dad could help me, he always knew what to say! He had a fountain around here, with a rather unflattering stone statue of himself, that could count as an altar. I wanted to giggle, the thought alone had this blue menace shrinking around me. This wasn't too bad, together we could set things right.

I made four more people cry while I sprinted around town, trying to remember where the Hades that stupid statue was. When I finally did find it, the bubble had grown again, feeding on my fear. But that all melted away when I saw the stern expression of my bushy-bearded dad.

Like I said, the statue didn't really do him justice. His nose was crooked and his hair was shoulder length, waving as though he was in some kind of modeling shot. That wasn't Poseidon at all. But it was as close as I was going to get.

A familiar weight was summoned into my front pocket, my fingers finding the smooth surface of my last sand dollar. I approached the marble altar reverently, thinking of my wording. I needed to know what to say. Dad had already comforted me back when the Empousa attacked, Zeus might throw a fit if he visited me.

I slowly sat down on the edge of the fountain, taking in the picturesque scene. It felt too normal compared to my life, so mundane. There was no return to normal for me anymore. I was too focused on the monsters that could be hiding around, the Titans Wrath and his plot, and Kronos.

Memories were my lifeline though. I could remember my mom taking me to a fountain like this a long time ago, a wishing well where another statue of dad smiled gently over us. Mom rescued me from all the drama- the bubble was stronger than ever now, and the blue had all but faded from the world.

With a steady hand, I leaned over the rippling water, watching it swirl and make the mosaic tiles glimmer in the bright sunlight. The sand dollar spun through my fingers as I cleared my mind, settling on a formal prayer. The other gods might not object if I played this smart rather than running to daddy bawling like a toddler for him help me.

"Poseidon, hear my plea. I have been cursed as a servant of Kronos. Send your blessing upon me and guide my hand."

Not too shabby, could have chosen some different wording but still good. I should research some more prayers. The only ones I had ever learned were for the Titans and their followers which didn't translate too well for the gods. Except for Ares; begging for the blood of enemies and the death of all others were always good in his book.

I closed my eyes and unclenched my fingers, letting the sea dollar slip out of my grasp.

"What's that Percy?"

I flinched, snatching the sea dollar before it could hit the water and whirled around. Jason was hovering a few feet away, a happy blonde puppy smiling too brightly down at me. He didn't give me an answer to ask him to give me a minute, he hopped down beside me, scooting far too close for comfort.

"It's a gift from my dad. Listen, Jason, could you-"

It took a few seconds to realize the Roman had plucked it from my fingers, spinning it in the air. The bubble spiked out, threatening to pop as it dropped a few inches and into his hand, my pulse shooting through the roof.

Jason shook his head, unaware of my skyrocketing panic, giving it another look over. "I never get gifts from my dad. In fact, he kind of sold me to Juno to make up for the fact that he was cheating on her. What's it do?"

"Hey!"

We turned as Luke jogged over, my heart sinking and spiking even more. The distraction gave me a chance to snatch the shell back, holding it to my chest and glaring daggers at the too, wishing them away. The blue field was starting to return, and I moved over so they wouldn't get caught in it. As much as I'd love to have them blubbing their hearts out, I needed some space right now.

"Percy, what happened back there?"

No, that wasn't helping. I didn't want the pity I heard in his tone. He was still trying to reach out to me after last night, the knucklehead thought he could help. Well now wasn't the time, and I could really do without the two extra blondes in my life.

"Nothing, can you-"

Jason, of course, decided to cut in, suddenly looking worried. "I don't know, Annabeth was pretty messed up when I left. Is it because she wrecked you earlier?"

"She what?" Luke did a double take, taking a step forward.

I groaned, trying to breathe. Happy thoughts. "It doesn't matter. Now both of you, please get-"

"He needs some space Castellan," Jason explained giving me an empathetic look. I smiled encouragingly only for him to add, "So move along, we were talking before you got here."

The son of Jupiter gave me a comforting pat on the shoulder that sent waves of unease cascading through me. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts. Don't think about Nico, don't think about the future, don't think about the past and what you did to him. Don't think about what you did to all the others.

"You are so full of shit," Luke spat, giving me a reproachful glare "Percy, we need to go home come on."

The fountain was bubbling as I clenched the sand dollar in my fist, refusing to meet their gazes. The wind was picking up, but it wasn't Jason's doing. My magic was leaking out, the clouds were massing together in grey blotches.

Happy thoughts weren't working anymore, I was on a slippery slope back down to the bottom, and these two were definitely not helping. Everything was crashing back down, the bubble I was hiding in was dangerously close to bursting.

I shook my head, panting as I tried to explain. "Luke, I can't right now. Listen, if you guys would just-"

"Stop treating him like a child!" Jason demanded, jumping to his feet "He's a better hero than you'll ever be! All you do is stomp around like some edge lord brat while he does all the work."

Luke bristled, cracking his knuckles as he rose to Jason's challenge. "You have no idea what you're talking about Sparky. Go fly home, we'll talk about this later."

Jason shoved Luke and got shoved back. I stopped paying attention, drowning them out as I hummed my favorite song and focused on positive memories. The bubble was back under control, I would sneak off and wait for the two idiots to wander off. No worries, everything was fine.

I didn't notice when they started trading real blows, or when Luke tackled Jason into the fountain. It was harder to ignore once Jason lashed out, his foot smacking my unprotected side when he missed Luke's crotch.

I yelped, instinctively tensing up for a fight. There was a crunch and my heart froze in my chest. The sound hadn't come from the morons, they were splashing around in the water. Nothing in me was broken, which only left…

With growing dread, I looked down at my closed fist, slowly opening my hand. The sand dollar was nothing but shattered pieces of powder. My loss didn't compute, the world was numb as I slowly turned my palm over, letting the pieces pour into the fountain.

They didn't dissolve in the water, they clinked against the bottom, crumbling further when Luke trampled over them. I had broken the sand dollar. The magic was gone.

"Look what you did!" Jason scolded, smacking Luke upside the head.

I stood up and walked away, trying to block them out. My chest was heaving, everything was numbing as the bubble spiked and bulged inside me. "Please go away…"

"Knock it off boy scout! None of this wouldn't have happened if you weren't such a pussy! Percy, let's get out of here."

I shook my head, putting my hands over my ears and failing to block them out. I was crying now; the blue was building up behind my eyes. I just wanted this to stop, it was all too much. "Guys cut it out."

"Percy, hurry up, tell this idiot to leave you alone."

No, make it stop. Please…

"Percy come on."

Happy thoughts…

"Percy!"

Too much…

"Jackson!"

Oh gods…

" _ **L**_ _E_ _ **Av**_ _E_ _ **m**_ _e_ _ **A**_ _Lo_ _ **nE**_ _!_ "

The bubble popped.

Dark clouds above burst and a rain pounded the pavement. Luke and Jason sobbed. Passersby were in tears. All crying their hearts out. Not me though. Not anymore.

The storm followed me when I ran. It wanted to hurt. The hurricane inside didn't care who. Neither do I. There's a car coming at me. Magic surges and I hear brakes screech, a horn bellows. Metal crunches and there comes a muffled cry- it hurts to hear, I sprint faster.

The storm rages harder. Blood pumps behind my ears. Rain turns to hail. A blanket of white hits. Bruises blossom and ice spreads under my feet. Town is long gone, the storm swallowed the sun and the sky is pitch black. I'm in the forest, trees toppling in my wake.

Greens and browns swim in front of me, the wind is deafening. A flicker of gold sparks ahead. It's the patrol they tracked earlier. Now it isn't. Red and gold. Green and brown. Now white and black. All dead, rusted armor shattering, and I'm gone.

Hunting for gold.

The search ends in death. They charge. Idiots charge a typhoon. Idiots try to hold it in. I unleash it. I'm holding on for dear life as it tears me apart. The forest is flooding, waves cascade from below and hail rains from above.

The dump is ahead. Monsters pour out and regret it. Gold flashes and the storm screams. Mount Othrys appears; the illusion is destroyed. Freaks everywhere, they swarm. They drown in their own blood. Bones crunch, dust glints, white suffocates the world.

Everything hurts, I want it to hurt. I broke my body, no going back. The magic erupted out, there was no more holding back. You can't hold back the ocean. Reinforcements stream off the mountain but I'm gone.

My legs drag me to the ocean. The cliff edge approaches, monsters battle the surf to pursue me. The brace on my arms begins to buzz dangerously. I can't feel my arm, I can't feel anything. That doesn't stop me.

Nothing does. Nothing can.

Instinctive, overwhelming fury skewers me, stabbing straight through the heart. I double over on the cliff edge. Lightning fractures the sky. Why am I running? I always run. It's always my fault. I pay for everyone else, for what they did to me, for what they pushed me to. I don't want to hurt anymore.

I want them to hurt.

Fingers curl sinisterly. My eyes close and I feel everything. The pulse of the storm. The muddy earth. The moisture pumping through the freaks. I'm in the eye of the hurricane. So, I pull it all back. Nature protests and is silenced.

The typhoon resisted, the squall clawing its way home. Water, water everywhere, answered my call. The clouds bowed down, the sea spiraled and pooled into me. Moist earth hardened and cracks as I robbed its valuable aqua. Trees withered into bone dry husks. The monsters realized too late their fate. They were drained, every drop ripped away until they were dust.

Pure power writhed inside me, I thrashed and raked the air. My arms speared out as I leapt into the air and let it all out with one scream. I was already standing in a graveyard. There had been hundreds of them. Now there was only me.

The shockwave ripped out and shredded the cliff apart. Rocks melted into sea foam. Trees washed away with the tide. The ground beneath me crumbled as I fell back to earth. There was one last second before it all went out of sight. A millisecond for me to see past the rage. A blink to see the devastation.

Then I was plummeting into the turbulent waves below. Heavenly seawater enveloped me and my mind cleared. The numbness stayed though; I didn't feel right; my limbs were nothing but weak noodles. It took a while of me floating in the violent waves, deep below the surface, for the feeling to slowly return.

My mind was still running a mile a minute, it was a struggle to think. First things first, body check. I felt myself up, clenching muscles and running through the inventory. Nothing was broken. I thought I was going to shatter back there, but if anything, I was stronger than when I had first freaked out.

That could just be the ocean water talking though, it was like cocaine buzzing straight through my skin. Wait, ocean water? How was I out here, my manacle should have- my fingers found the metal band and froze.

The pristine surface was marred with a long, thin crack down the center. The fracture was buzzing, I yanked my finger back when it zapped me. I… broke it? That shouldn't be possible. Then again, a lot of things I had done today were impossible. Like my rampage just now… Gods, what the hell had I done?

I didn't have a chance to panic, a presence was coming closer, I could feel it rushing through the waves to meet me. My moment of clarity was washed away. The bubble that had been slowly oozing back into shape was torn to shreds, the hurricane racing out to meet the intruder, sweeping me along with it.

They slowed as I swam straight for them, the water crashing in on all sides as I charged. They looped out of the way in time to avoid my attack, easily slipping in and out of range. They dodged the wrath of the sea with ease, somehow keeping out of its crushing power-my crushing power.

The hurricane roared for blood, it wanted to make them hurt, to make everyone hurt. The ocean rocked and shook, the waters were boiling with rage. I screamed in rage, and the sea burst away. We were out in the air now, as though the ocean had randomly decided it didn't want to be in this fifty-foot space any longer.

My hands clapped together as I started to fall, countless water spears that could have sliced through even Kronos' war frame impaling the intruder all at once. But was the ocean crashed back into place, they still swam around as though they were none the worse for wear.

I charged them, but they time they didn't dodge out of the way, accepting my fury. At the last second, they caught my outstretched arms, holding me out in front of them as I struggled and kicked in fury. The ocean stopped answering my calls as though it was fed up with my tantrum, all I could do was thrash and growl in rage at my captor.

They were built strong, a full swimmers body, relaxed, with a laid-back black beard and deep sea green eyes. Rage turned to confusion as I stared into those eyes, brain still foggy and trapped in their clutches. In my dad's clutches.

Realization finally kicked in and I stopped struggling, staring in awe at Poseidon. He gave an easy, gentle smile when I stopped, letting me go and placing his hands on his hips.

"There you are. We should spar more often, I think I'm getting a little slow fighting with Triton. I'm pretty sure he goes easy on his old man, but don't tell him I know." Dad gave me a wink and tapped the bridge of his nose.

My dad was here. Actually here, not far away from my cell or sending out little breezes to answer my prayers- he was here, in the flesh. Did gods have flesh? Who cares, he had shown up when I needed him when I was losing it when I was… when I was trying to kill everything in sight, him included.

I didn't even realize I was doing it, the next second I was curled up in an ice cocoon hiding from sight. Oh, gods I just tried to kill my dad. Yeah, he was a god so I probably couldn't actually kill him but that was beside the point!

He probably just saw that whole fiasco so he knew I was a psycho with too much power to handle and he was going to condemn me to the deepest pits of the ocean. Gods I just wanted advice, why did I have to screw up my dad was finally here. Why did I have to be the screw-up…?

There was a tap on the outside of the ice shell and I folded into myself, wanting nothing more than to transform into sea foam. Frank could shapeshift why the hell couldn't I? Dad wouldn't notice a screwed-up sea cucumber floating to the bottom of the ocean to be forgotten forever. Of course, he would, he's Poseidon! He'd probably adopt the sea cucumber and give it the best home in the damn ocean!

"Knock-knock!" His voice vibrated through the ice strangely.

How strangely I wasn't sure. I mean, we were talking in the middle of the ocean with no gear on; the fact that we were making any noise was strange to begin with. I tried to block him out, focusing on building the bubble back up. The pain was gone, but now guilt and regret were ready for their turn, egged on by Poseidon's presence.

After a few seconds dad gave a polite cough and tapped the ice again. "I don't want to be one of those know it all parents, but this is usually the part where you say 'Who's there?' Then I respond with something genius like 'cows go' which sets up the brilliant punchline. When you say 'cows go who?' then I finish off the joke with 'No kiddo, cows go moo!' By subverting the expectations of your usual one-two comedy punch, that makes my knock-knock joke literally the most hilarious thing you will ever hear in your entire life."

Even in the middle of a mental break, I rolled my eyes, biting down the laughter that threatened to bubble up. Everything inside me wanted to be angry, to go wild and stop caring about the world. I could do that. But I wanted to be with my dad, I wanted to be normal again. As normal as you could be when you were having a chat with your dad at the bottom of the ocean.

I willed away the ice scratching the back of my head and biting my lip as dad came into view. I hadn't seen him since I begged him to make me a Fallen. Had he made the wrong choice by giving me another chance?

The doubt was swept back when he swam forward and hugged me, the bleak shadows of the ocean replaced with his bright Hawaiian shirt.

"Hi, dad…" I mumbled into the soft fabric, trying to stay in this moment forever.

It was a possibility after all. Just one that made my skin crawl and had my guilt soaring out past the surface and into the sky high above.

Poseidon chuckled, ruffling my hair and giving the ocean a wave of his hand. The currents rushed to meet his command, colors and shapes spiraling until we were sitting outside of dad's fishing bungalow. I had only been here once, but I would never forget it in a thousand years.

A quaint little house on a soft, warm beach. Firm wood planks that smelled of salt lined walls, a menagerie of shells and fishing trophies decorating the walls. Trophies fit for a sea god of course; most people didn't mount the heads of sea monsters or have aquariums that were actually tiny oceans swimming with catches so enormous they would drown the world if they got out.

I could see the modest kitchen off the living room, and the two small bedrooms around the corner. Nobody did much sleeping in the house- if they did it in the huge teal recliners or the hammocks swinging out on the porch.

Almost in a trance, I passed the driftwood coffee table, padding across the familiar wooly carpet and into the recliner on the left. I sunk in, the same way I had when I was last here, back when I was here with mom. It had been for a weekend, I was supposed to meet dad that day. I remember exploring the bungalow from top to bottom, running along the beach and thinking about how perfect it would be to live here forever.

But something had happened and dad never showed up. I knew now that he had been off, keeping the gods from learning I existed. He was always protecting us always keeping us safe.

"Sorry about the mess, I haven't been up here in ages." Poseidon excused himself to the kitchen as I folded myself into the chair.

Everything was almost exactly the way I remembered it. The smell of the ocean, the sand, the wood… how much of this was an illusion? I knew we were still in Odyssey Cove. The sea tried so hard to convince me, to pierce my shell, but I stubbornly held onto reality.

A second later Poseidon shuffled in with a platter of very real blue fish and chips. I smiled when I saw the color, turning it over in my hands before taking a bite. Gods dad was a good cook.

"By the by, that was some spear trick you came up with. Reminds me of a time I fought Oceanus in Norway, the old geezer had my back against the wall in those fjords. Tip for the future, it takes a little more effort, but toss in some jetsam when you're fighting an ocean enemy. He laughed when I lobbed a bubble at him, at least he was until he realized I shoved a figurehead in there. Knocked him clean off his flippers."

Dad was giving me pointers on how to hurt him if we ever fought again. That was…. Ugh that was not helping one bit. He noticed my pained expression and shot me a sympathetic expression, passing over some blue tartar sauce.

We stayed quiet for a while, munching away on fries and fish. A breeze wafted in, blowing the curtains wide and hitting me with a shot of fresh sea salt. This… this was paradise. Who needs Elysium, all I wanted from with the world was a house by the ocean, someplace away from it all.

"Your friends are worried about you. A lot of people are actually." Poseidon brushed a few crumbs out of his beard. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"What do you wanna talk about?" I mumbled, eyes locked onto the aqua carpet.

I let myself be lulled into the flow of the ocean, listening to the waves slide across the sand, the hum of the aquarium, and dads breathing.

I don't know when, but eventually, I realized that the illusion was blurring, and the colors were seeping together. The colors were almost too blue. I put two and two together when I realized dad was making noises, shocked when I saw him wiping away a few stray tears.

"You're blue." He said matter-of-factly.

"Da ba dee da ba daa." I joked, hoping that would get rid of it. "I'm so sorry-"

Poseidon shook his head, reaching over from the other chair to put a hand on my shoulder. I recoiled when he let a deluge of magic pour into me. In a split second, the world was plunged into my personal hell. The blue field engulfed everything, except not it had a place to go, someone who was willingly taking it in.

The tears slid down his face as he had a personal show of everything inside, the ruined pieces I had been trying so hard to hide. The pain boiled at his intrusion, it screamed out to stop him, but I couldn't. I didn't want to.

Truth, truth I didn't want to say burned its way off my tongue. "I want to hurt them. The monsters, the gods- I want to make everyone pay for what they did. I want them to suffer."

Poseidon nodded at my confession, pouring more magic into me. The more he did, the more I pumped out, the clearer my head was.

"But I don't want to hurt my friends. I don't really want to hurt anybody. I just want this all to be over. I'm tired of hurting people. I want to stop being the reason why everything is so screwed up, I don't want it to always be my fault."

"It's not your fault Percy."

I gave a pained laugh, unable to hide the rampant guilt that flared inside me. He saw every second of it, he saw the truth and more.  _He_  had been right, I was just throwing a tantrum. I had ransacked the town because I couldn't have things my way, and even more since I as the reason why Kronos knew how to Bond to demigods.

"Ah yes, that boy. We'll talk about him in a minute, but Percy…" Poseidon lifted my chin to meet my gaze, still gushing me full of magic. "You are not responsible for the actions of others. They make their choices, and you make your own. All you can do is deal the cards you've been played. And cheat, cheat like your life depended on it."

Yep, he was definitely my dad. I didn't deserve him; how could anyone deserve someone like dad? He was always there, he did everything he could for me. He even brought me back here, the once place I had wanted to call home more than any other place in the world. Figures I would only ever get to come here with a single parent.

That thought finally got Poseidon off me. I thought he was angry, that maybe he would think I blamed him for that or something. I deserved that, I wanted that. Instead, I saw pain and growing understanding.

I didn't want his pity I knew was coming, I couldn't handle it again, not from him, not when I didn't deserve it.

"Don't say it!" I snapped, trying to pull away, "Don't lie to me and tell me what I want to-"

"Percy."

The words died in my mouth at his tone, surprised at how stern he sounded. His sea green eyes were hard and unforgiving, arms crossed and stiff- he looked wrong like that, I didn't like it.

"There is a difference between pity and sympathy, and you are in no place to deny either." He waited until I gave a reluctant nod before going on. "Percy, you are destroying yourself. You cannot hold these feelings inside, they will build up as they already have. You kept control this time believe it or not- the mortal vehicle you attacked was unharmed. You only attacked the monsters. But I know that pain son. I've seen it fester over thousands of years, watched it destroy the strongest of heroes build the greatest of villains. I witness it lay waste to billions. I can't watch you walk this path when I know where it ends."

He was right. Of course. I had almost forgotten that car. I hope they were alright. And the monsters… I hadn't felt in control back there. I was at the mercy of the emotions I spent so long burying, a slave to every urge. I guess I had held back then. If I had done everything I really wanted, I wouldn't even be here.

"I wasn't ready to come back," I admitted quietly, not sure how to put the words. "I wanted to come back here and prove that I wasn't a monster. I had to fix my mistakes. But… I wasn't ready for this. For everything that comes with living. I forgot how hard it was, how easy it was to give in."

Dad nodded, reclining back and studying the ceiling.

"I never wanted any of this for you Percy. A few adventures with your old man, an escapade or two when you hit your rebellious stage for sure, but never this. I can't change what has happened. All I can do is guide you. That is what you prayed for after all, my supreme, all knowing guidance."

"All knowing?" I smirked.

"Well, knowing." He corrected.

I rolled my eyes and sank back into my chair, relaxed despite the fact that we were talking about my imminent destruction.

"Give it up dad you're related to me."

Poseidon gave a dramatic sigh that would give me a run for my money. "I suppose true genius must skip a generation. Such a pity."

We laughed glancing out the window as an eel peeked in and the zipped away.

"This isn't exactly party central." Poseidon lamented, allowing the illusion to melt the beach outside away.

The empty ocean stretched out in front of us, unnaturally lonely and alien. He must feel the same presence I do, that malignance lurking just outside of range. It was stronger out here than it had been in the pipes. Speaking of which.

"Thanks for getting me out here dad. Talking to you… it's good to know I'm not alone."

Dad focused back on me, frowning and reaching out to tousle my hair. "You're never alone. You have friends who are always there for you. It's going to be hard to let them in, but trust me, it is well worth it. Oh, and your dearest Uncle wanted me to warn you that if you leave the bounds of the trial again without permission, he will introduce you to the Master Bolt. I managed to get a little wriggle room for you when Ares declared, and I quote 'that kid is the most badass m*********** in the galaxy did you see the way he just f***** up Mount Othrys? Brat didn't even watch the explosion, he was busy sticking his fist through that goofy looking one's head!' end quote"

My dad had literally beeped himself out in reality for me. And Ares had helped get me some cooldown time with Poseidon. I guess the world wasn't as screwed up as I thought it was. Then again if Ares was rooting for me, I probably did something everyone else would disapprove of. Oh whale, you can't win them all?

I grinned when that thought passed by. I could do this.

"So, tell me about this boy who's been stalking you."

Right, figures he would have noticed that. "Oh Nico? Well, um, he's not really stalking me. He's cute and all, and well, I'm kind of in l-"

"I meant the golden eyed boy." Poseidon interrupted with raised eyebrows.

Oh. Right. Obviously. I mean why would we be talking about the boy who was haunting my dreams and following me day in and day out? That would be ridiculous and gods I was blushing really hard.

"Of course, I wouldn't mind hearing the details on how you intend to inform Hades that you plan on courting his son." Poseidon drawled, giving me wink.

I groaned and hid my face, wishing I could disappear again. "We were talking about my inner teen angst and drama, remember?"

"If you insist." Poseidon shrugged teasingly, leaning back in his chair as he sobered up. "About the other boy though- what is he?"

That was… complicated. And involved a story I hadn't told anyone before, not even Annabeth. She only knew what had come afterwards, how he had come to be.

"He's not real, he's-"

"The boy is real enough to cause trouble." Dad pointed out.

He wasn't wrong.

"He's me. Sort of. Well, no, he really is me there's not any 'sort of' about it." Poseidon raised a perplexed brow and I barreled on. "You know about the, um… the Resets."

Poseidon nodded somberly, studying me intently. He knew how deep my fractures when, how close I was to the edge. I was safe with him, I could let him in on this secret.

"You're not supposed to mess with time. We're in the present for a reason, even Kronos can only travel a few minutes back and forth. But after…. After what he did to me, we found out that we could go back further; hours, days, and one time even a week. The power of time met the ocean and found out that it could go any direction it wanted."

Dad was patient as I wallowed through the memories, remembering the night I found Perseus. That would always be the difference between us- Percy and Perseus. He was the reason I didn't go by Perseus anymore, the scar of our actions would mark me for all eternity.

"Eventually, Kronos had me go to the future. And it worked. In fact, it kind of worked too well. I… I saw a lot. There was… it's not important what there was. What matters is that I was there. Jumping to the future doesn't work like the past. In the past, you know all your decisions, it's you jumping to who you were. But the future… When you travel to the future, you leave a bit of you behind to keep everything on track. It acts just like you, it's a dummy that follows whatever path you set it on. And I was- I was the Titans Wrath."

I didn't think about what I had seen in the future. I didn't see it, I didn't hear it, and I told no one. It didn't exist, and it couldn't exist. Not anymore. I wouldn't let it.

"Mistakes were made. I had issues coming back, and when I Reset, he came back with me. There aren't supposed to be two of you in the timeline. It worked in the future because… Because of what was happening. If I hadn't brought him back, he would have been erased. But when I did, he became a part of me."

Poseidon nodded, stroking his beard in thought. He looked worried, and rightly so. My future self was dangerous and unpredictable. He had followed me through in the Reset, desperate to escape from the future.

"He's been with you since the incident?" Poseidon grimaced when I nodded, "Was he… was he with you on Olympus?"

He was worried for me. Dad didn't want to find out he had let me lock myself up with a homicidal future version of myself for four years. Luckily for the both of us he hadn't.

"No, when you killed- I mean when you sent me to the Fallen, he went dormant. It wasn't until I came back that we woke up."

"What does he want?"

Well… That was kind of a good question. The answer changed a lot. In the old days, he was on my side somedays. Other days, he was my worst enemy. Nowadays I didn't even know where to start with him. Even today he had been telling me to go to Annabeth for help, when basically only yesterday he had been trying to choke the life out of me.

"I don't know."

Poseidon nodded, the illusion starting to fade away to my horror. Soon the bungalow was nothing but sea foam, left behind as we slowly started to make our way to the surface. He gave the ocean a look of annoyance, his frown drawing my attention to the lightning snapping high above the surface in the clouds.

I sighed, pulling my legs up to my chest. "Guess Uncle Zeusy says time's up."

Happy thoughts Percy. This was a start right, this had helped. It wasn't enough though, nothing would ever be enough after what I had gone through. Dad nodded, turning back to me and grabbing my hand as the surface drew closer and closer. With it mean returning to my problems, returning to all the pain and suffering I left up there.

"Percy, this will not be the last time we talk. I know you will be free. Talk to Annabeth, talk to your friends. You will make it through this. You need them to fix you as much as they need you to fix them. You aren't alone. You are the one in control son. Tell them the truth, there are answers hidden here to the questions you aren't asking."

I didn't cry this time. I swam forward, and gave him a tight hug, trying to memorize this moment. "I don't know if I can do this."

"Perseus Jackson." Poseidon knelt to meet my gaze, giving me a smile that made my soul hum. "You can do anything you set your mind to. I'm not just saying that because you practically blew up a mountain and I'm proud of you- I'm saying it because you have proven that no matter what life throws at you, you keep going and you stay good. You find something to cling on to and you survive. You are loyal to your friends, to those who need you. You can do this. Stop running, open up. No more surviving Percy. Soon enough surviving won't be enough; it'll be your turn to start living."

Dad hugged me one last time and patted my back as we breached the surface. When I opened my eyes, he was gone. But I was alright. With each stroke as I swam to shore, I knew that I was going to make it through this, that I could do this.

I needed to go lay things out with Annabeth. She would understand, she cared as much as dad did. My problems had spent so long hunting me down, it was time to solve them and move on. No more holding back- but no more lies either.

My name is Percy Jackson. I was a Titans Wrath, a Lightning Thief, and an orphan. Now? I am so much more.

**Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X-Ψ**

Poseidon POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, Iliad Bay, 19 Fathoms Down**

 **11**  days,  **6** hours, **0**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

I watched my boy swim away holding back my own wave of emotion. My heart was heavy and wracked with regret. There were a thousand warnings I could give him, countless pleas and arguments I wanted to scream to the heavens.

Perseus dies in the end.

Oracles around the world knew my plight as I sought them out, determined to find a loophole, a trick, a scheme to save him. Yet it was in vain. There was no escaping his fate. My son would die in this trial, and there was nothing I could do.

Sleep had evaded me these past few weeks, knowing that no matter how hard he fought, no matter what he proved, his story would end. It wasn't fair. The world wasn't fair. What kind of a world would do something like that to my son?

For millennia, I fought to make this place a living paradise for mortals. There were slip ups, wars and disasters, but all Olympians strove to build a utopia on this rock. What good did it do him though?

His mother- my dear Sally- torn away from him. Forced to live off the streets like a rat. Betrayed by his own kind and thrown to the demon who had tormented my siblings and I for all eternity. And the things our father had done to him, the acts he had committed…

Percy was not beyond redemption. His heart was still pure, even if he could not see that. No one could squash his spark, he longed to do good, to be a true hero. But knowing the future now… I never should have let him go back to Kronos.

My precious son had been so determined to fix his mistakes when I finally found him after all those years. He thought that he owed me for keeping him safe, that it was his duty. Somehow the boy talked me into allowing him to go back, and back, and back again.

And then he convinced me to kill him. To send him to the Hall of the Fallen, where he belonged. I broke my heart that night, saving a boy who never should have been there in the first place. If I had only found him sooner, if that Castellan spawn hadn't thrown him under the bus!

Now it was too late. Nothing I could do would change his course. He was trying so hard to be a better person, to fix mistakes he wasn't responsible for. And this thing, this future self that was molesting his soul… Percy had suffered enough. I would not allow him to fight this alone. He had his allies with the others, they would help him even though I could not be there for him.

Percy was strong, and I believed in his choices. His friends were his power. They would bring out the true hero within him. In the meantime, it was high time I headed the advice I had given my son. Life had dealt out its hand and Percy was on the chopping block.

If the Fates thought I wouldn't cheat this, then they had no idea who they were messing with. Percy would live to see another day, he would be free of the worlds injustice.

It was high time I paid a visit to the weavers of the fate and reminded them of just how much trouble the god of the sea could dish out. Even my brothers wouldn't quell my wrath on the matter. This was not over, not by a long shot.

My son will live. Perseus Jackson is not dying today.

* * *

**So, good chance I botched the conversations or left something in there that I shouldn't have! If that's the case, please hit me up in the comments or just message me, would love to chat about the writing! Lots of stuff going on, tons of revelations popping up, couple origin stories, and Poseidon stepping in! Next chapter Hazel and Nico are telling the story, so tune in and I'll have that out in no time! Enjoy and have a super-fantastical morning-afternoon-evening!**


	27. Insidious Machinations

**Disclaimer: Percy Jackson and his awesome friends belong to Rick Riordan**

* * *

**Insidious Machinations**

Hazel POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, Shoebox**

 **10**  days,  **17** hours, **58**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

A glittering galaxy spun itself out under my covers the moment I opened my eyes. Have I mentioned that waking up with superpowers was the bee's knees? Cuz let me tell you, it was swell a thousand times over!

I beat my alarm to the punch on pure instinct, hopping out of a warm, fantastic dream to cancel its clamor. But lying there under the blanket, phone clutched in a stiff grip, my dream didn't end. Mist carried it out into reality, unreal colors dipping and pooling together in a kaleidoscope of wonder and enchantment.

Turns out magic and sleep go together like bacon and eggs. Without my brain yapping at it, the Mist ran through my system unfiltered and ready to put on a show. I hummed sleepily, a drowsy grin shot across my mug as the galaxy folded in on itself. There was Arion and I now, faster than a speeding bullet, racing across the world and soaring through the clouds.

A day in the clouds… that's what I call an adventure! On cue now Frank was there, and Percy and Piper! We were bouncing off the top of clouds, skipping and laughing through a cotton candy landscape. The rest of the gang was up ahead, it looked like a game!

I could even see Nico! He didn't look sad or gloomy, those dark bags had disappeared from his eyes, and best of all he was talking to Percy! If only… No! That was going to happen. Getting those two on the same boat was going to be tough, but no matter what I knew they were going to be good for each other. Percy needed Nico and vice versa for closure. I'm pretty sure they'd even be good friends once they got over all the pain.

The image shifted without my permission, the color draining into grainy transmission, the type we got on old television sets. Our cloudy escape evaporated away, there was only a cliff edge against a midnight sky. The stars were dull and the moon was gone, waves of darkness claimed the land.

There was a building, great and broken, stretching up towards the black sky, but the focus shifted away from it, towards two dark shapes in the night. One was always in motion, it was erratic and violent, they were swinging a sword at the other, a figure that just stood there and took it.

The sword struck stone by the motionless figures, sparks blinking the scene into existence long enough for me to gasp. That was Percy standing there, bruised and bloody, eyes starting to glaze over as he took everything Nico dished. I reached out, hand passing straight through the Mist, willing it away. After careful consideration, the Mist decided I didn't have a choice in the matter, something forcing me to watch as my step brother beat the passive son of Poseidon to a pulp.

I couldn't tear my gaze away, all I could do was stare as Nico brought the sword up for a killing blow. Mist hissed and coiled, rebelling as the was image torn away in a twister that pulled away the covers and threatened to toss me out of bed before popping out of existence without a sound.

The ceiling stared back as I laid there, rigid and pinching myself. That was intense. And real. Something was different from the fun in the clouds, that last image was as real as any memory. No Mist billowed out from my hands when I called it, although the metal frame of the bed started to groan, and my earrings wiggled around.

Autopilot took over after a few more minutes of staring into the upper bunk, searching for answers in Piper's uncomfortable mattress. Years of juggling part time jobs, scheduling volunteer work, wading through middle, then high school, and supporting mama and Nico taught me the value of me time.

Those fleeting, silent mornings when I beat the alarm were the cat's meow. Not that I didn't like spending time with my family. Just, occasionally, I needed a little time to escape from worrying about them, or anything else really. Running away from the drag of life kept me from going cuckoo. Well, it did until the gold rush hit town and infected me with a heaping helping of mad money avarice.

Hindsight's twenty-twenty but my days as Midas' stooge were a blur. Not that I was too keen on recollecting that particular conga line of humiliation. Without the creak of my old, broken floorboards, it was a cinch tiptoeing around and pulling together some pants and armor. Annabeth didn't even stir as I crept by, snatching a jacket to finish off my adventuring getup.

Because this morning I wasn't creeping out to chill and relax- I was sneaking out to do some hero work. There was an awful lot of hero work to do after all, even if today was our day off. Why were we calling time out in the middle of our Armageddon countdown? Well, Jason and Luke beat the snot out of each other, Piper could barely squeak after overlocking her CharmSpeak, and as for Percy…

It was a fight to not peek in on the boy's room, instead maneuvering through the blackened kitchen with ease. No one really knew what happened. Even the best poker face breaks once in a while. There was much I had yet to learn about Percy, but guilt gnawed harder on me than an old hound with a big, juicy bone. Our son of Poseidon wasn't the first snap I'd seen.

For sure he'd put a little more razzle dazzle when he rampaged against the Titan Army, but no, Percy wasn't the first. Nico had fractured a long time ago, way back when he first arrived to live with mom and me. The signs of that slippery slope he was on went right over my head. It wasn't until it was too late that it all came together.

I put years into piecing Nico back together, but there were still missing parts, answers and truths only he could find. Percy was going to be the key there-make it or break it, when they finally came face to face and talked through this, that would be the end of it.

Percy wasn't a saint or a savior, but he was our hero. From the start, I knew he was the one who would fix everything. But who was going to fix him? What breaks a cutie like Percy or Nico, how far do we have to go to save them?

I didn't know the answer, but I knew one thing, one truth that burned in my marrow and sang in my soul. No one was going to be left behind in this fight. We were heroes, or at least heroes in training. Which actually was the start of our mission today. Project C.U.P.A.K.L., aka Cheer-Up-Percy-And-Kidnap-Leo (Frank was the cutest boyfriend in the world, but the boy couldn't think up a good codename to save his life) was a new Roman taskforce.

Kind of brand new, as in Jason, Frank and I had stayed up until four in the morning picking our brains on how to not die and raise morale. Annabeth had already planned out a relaxing day for Percy and Piper, and Luke was off on his own, nursing wounds that wouldn't heal.

That left the three of us to go out and be big damn heroes. If kidnapping a kid off the street and buying some blue cupcakes counted as big damn hero work.

Almost on cue, the boys room door blew open without a sound. Jason muffled their footsteps as my partners in crime tiptoed into the kitchen, a warm, gentle zephyr nudging the door closed behind Frank. Jason zipped through the air, saluting my general direction with a smile as he fumbled for the armory.

I hopped up, entwining my fingers and Frank's with a silent hum, pulling him to the couch. As a daughter of Pluto, the room might as well have been spilling sunlight. The boys weren't so lucky; the only window's glint of dawn was hidden behind bulletproof glass and blackout curtains.

Frank squeezed my hand, cheeks flaming when I squeezed back, leaning my head on his shoulder as we sat there in the darkness, patiently waiting. Jason disappeared into the armory, blue sparks flickering out of the cracked door as he grabbed our gear.

Annabeth's latest intel confirmed that Leo was still holed up in Big Cone Boreads Creamery. I was still new to all this hero business, but I'm pretty sure 'Boreads' was just a fancy way of saying "walk into our trap!" Jason said it would be simple though.

Being the son of ol' storm-beard came with a few perks, meaning that the wind spirits who were casing the joint didn't stand a chance. Being Combine that with my growing Magneto magic and Franks adorable teddy bear shift, we had a knockout combo just waiting for a real wallop.

I had everything planned out; backup routes, safe houses, and a borrowed drachma in case things got crazy. The only thing I didn't have was a parachute. Jason and Frank could soar out of sight, but the odds of me staying airborne typically ended with me splatting against the pavement.

This flight plan had just been our backup at first. Arion was supposed to be our supersonic getaway car, the operative word there being 'supposed.' Unfortunately, the stubborn bronco had decided that Percy and I were the only one's worthy of his hooved highness.

Frank had made the mistake of trying to shift into a horse to negotiate while Percy was out of commission, only for Arion to storm off, leaving a very flushed Frank sputtering something perverted about sugar cubes and fillies.

But I trusted Frank and Jason- they could keep Leo and I up in the air and out of harms reach. An angry, painful flashback of the ambush and our fall to the monsters below haunted me, but I squeezed Franks hand and it faded away.

These two would keep me safe.

"Frank!" Jason whispered, poking his helmeted head out of the armory.

Frank shuffled to his feet, tiptoeing over the toe door, guided by Jason's sparks and gusts. Another minute of playing watch and then it would be my turn to suit up and roll out. Sneaking around sucked, but we might have put off passing the C.U.P.A.K.L. game plan to Annabeth before she passed out last night. She had enough to worry about without us adding to it.

Besides, when we showed up to breakfast with Leo in tow and maybe a dozen blue doughnuts, we'd be back in her good graces. One more minute and we'd be long gone, heroes on a mission to save- the kitchen light snapped on and my heart stopped.

Luke was fishing some eggs and veggies from the fridge, decked out in nothing but socks and very, very tight undies, his toned back to me as he pulled on an apron. Of all the- of course Luke had to be the wild card here.

He didn't seem to notice me, leaning down to grab a pan from the bottom cupboards. Jason stuck his head out, drawing breath to call when he noticed the other blonde. I waved at him desperately, mouthing for him to back off.

"You're up early."

I froze in that position, struggling to turn the motion into a stretch as my eyes fell back on Luke. His narcissism had been my undoing- the git was admiring himself in the pans reflection, ruffling his hair as he gave me a sleazy simper. For once, I regretted not joining the drama club with Piper back in middle school; I couldn't act for beans. Luke raised an eyebrow at my awkward yawn while I sat up, sauntering over to the kitchen counter to distract him.

"Only cuz you woke me up." I accused, snatching a knife from him and dicing mushrooms for his breakfast. "I slept out here; ever since Mars got in here the couch is about a hundred times comfier than those dang cots."

Luke turned away and I leaned back, waving at the cracked open armory door. Jason nodded, darting back in with Frank. Luke was still basically naked and exhausted, if I could distract him we'd have enough of a head start nobody would- oh who were we kidding? That was practically Luke's battle armor, he'd chase us out the whole way.

"Been a while since I slept in my shoes." Luke commented, cracking a handful of eggs all at once for his omelet. "Or woke up in new clothes. And I usually need to be crazy drunk for that trick to work."

Right. Crap, so much for sleepy Luke being unobservant. He had faded to the background over the last few days with everything going on, it was hard to remember that he was there, always watching our backs, and our wallets. Thieves intuition helped him with the details, and I probably stood out like a sore thumb to him this morning.

I literally waved him off with a painfully long chuckle, arm flopping across the counter like a dead snake, "Yeah, well you know what they say…"

I didn't know where to look; Jason was making a break for the door and Luke was only about three inches to the left of catching us all red handed. Gods this was the worst!

"What do they say?"

I yelped when he turned around, shoving a handful of mushrooms in his face so he wouldn't look in Jason's direction. Luke blinked widely, going cross eyed to stare at the pile of veggies I had shoved millimeters from his nose. There was a soft lick of the door closing, forcing me to cough awkwardly. Door sounds sounded like people sounds, right? I slipped my hand into Luke's, passing along the veggies and shoved him to the stove, tension bubbling up in my fingers.

"Those words, the weird ones that everybody knows, it's all the hubbub these days! Here, let me help you!"

It felt like an eternity waiting for Frank to sneak out after Jason. I couldn't exactly blame him since when I checked, I saw him toting my armor as he slipped along the hallway, but I could only gab on about the many uses for oregano for so long.

"So that's a perfect omelet?" Luke asked with a raised eyebrow. I nodded, presenting the oversized plate to him, resisting the urge to toss the plate at Frank, who still wasn't out yet. Luke poked the dish, licking his lips greedily before offering me a fork as he started digging in. I tried to take my time and make as much noise as possible, heart pounding as I wanted to hear the front door close behind Frank.

What was taking so long?

Luke chewed long and hard, humming thoughtfully before nodding. "You're right Hazel, this is perfect. Hey lardo, ask sparky if he wants a bite."

Frank jumped, dropping my sword in the doorway and giving me the look of a guilty deer in the headlights. Luke didn't look back once, giving me a wink and taking another huge bite. It took longer than it should have to realize that he had known the whole time. We really sucked at this whole subtlety thing, didn't we?

"Um, listen-" Frank started, ready to defend our cause, Jason ready at his back.

"I'm not actually going to share," Luke interrupted, taking another bite and giving me a conspiratorial smirk. "I just wanted to burst his bubble."

I nodded mutely, shoulders drooping as we all watched him eat. Luke wasn't going to let us go out on our own. He probably thought the whole idea was stupid. Luke didn't trust others to do his job, he would wait until Percy was back up and running then drag him off to rescue Leo while the rest of us sat around and looked like the shiny little trophies of their latest conquests.

"Luke, we were only trying to-"

Luke cut Frank off again with a gross belch, finishing off his three-man plate. He sighed happily, leaning back on his stool and staring up at the ceiling in bliss.

"Go keep sparky company, he looks about ready to crunch coal into diamonds with his sphincter. Haze and I are gonna chat."

The three of us exchanged looks wordlessly until Luke got annoyed and tossed his plate in Franks general direction. Jason cursed, tugging Frank out of the way while my boyfriend ducked, slamming the door before the blonde Roman could retaliate on his behalf.

Our thief went quiet for a long minute, lids heavy with sleep and ugly bruises. Not for the first time, I saw something… human in him. Percy had embraced his magic; no matter how normal or in the crowd, the ravenette would always stand out. There was no hiding the unnatural gleam in his eyes or the aura of odd he emitted.

Luke on the other had faded away. He got tired without reaching the breaking point, he didn't bottle things up like Percy, or even Nico did. And now? Now he looked old, something Percy could never hope to do. It was almost poetic, his face stoic but exhausted and… snoring?

"Luke?"

The boys head jerked up, drawing in a deep breath to hide his yawn as Luke stretched.

"Level with me here." He sighed, arms stretching up impossibly high above my head, "You're nabbing what's his face, aren't you?"

Luke hummed at my reluctant nod, propping himself up on his elbows and searching my face. Whatever answer he was looking for, he didn't find it, crumpling into himself and letting his head bob down to the counter with a thud.

"Go on then."

Not the answer I expected. But I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth (even if the Greeks were infamous for their trick horses). Common sense decided that it wasn't happy with that answer though and decided to put its foot down, forcing me to question the sanity of our original blondie.

"That's it?"

Luke grunted back into the countertop, "That's it."

"You're not going to tell Annabeth then? Or go off on one of those 'it's dangerous to go alone' speeches?"

I could practically hear his eyes roll from across the island. No, of course he wouldn't. That wasn't Luke's style at all.

"I'm gonna die here Hazel. You too probably. We all will. Might as well go for gold before we kick the bucket."

If there was a proper response to that, I couldn't think of it. Words piled down to the tip of my tongue only to bump over each other awkwardly, leaving me mumbling off half-finished ideas.

"Is this about you and Percy?"

Judging by the slump in his shoulders, that was a yes. Gloom and doom wasn't Luke's jam either. Sure, he was the downer of the group, but Luke was a realist. His tantrums and sulking had only gotten worse the last few days, days where he saw himself being replaced by new and old faces while he wasted time butting heads with Percy.

Only one of them was going to make it out of this trial alive- that was the hard truth that had been souring in the back of our minds. No matter how this ended, whether the world was safe or in ruins, the two of them would not be coming out together.

Judging by the glower he was leveling at me now, that souring, quiet truth in the back of our minds was a little louder to him. Armageddon was always on the horizon, but this was different. This was Percy.

The glower was already waning in exhaustion as he shrugged. "Life sucks. And then you die. No one cares."

Wanting, no, needing a way to stop the low-key hatred boiling in him I searched for something to say. That same, strangely quiet voice that had directed me out of bed this morning spoke up, a simple idea spinning out without my input.

"You could run away."

Luke deadpanned, fingers tapping irately across the black manacle fused to his wrist with a 'duh' practically rolling off his lips. I gave him a little shove, leaning up over the countertop so he would have to look me in the eyes.

"There has to be a way. You two are trying your best. Maybe when we save the world we can bust you out and you two could slip away. We could cover for you. I mean, you literally stole lightning and got away with it. You  _could_  run."

Luke huffed, annoyance coloring his featured before he paused. His whole posture shifted slightly, licking his lips thoughtfully before the shields went back up and he shook his head.

"Whatever. I'll cover for you when the control freak wakes up, but I expect breakfast in bed until the world ends. Capiche?"

I saluted, earning an aggravated smirk as he pushed and prodded me out the door. Frank and Jason were there to catch me when I tripped on the doorstep, both trying to figure out why Luke was flipping them off and locking up behind us. All I did was grin, entwining our arms and tugging them along to the nearest back alley.

It was a strange walk, creeping through a new world. Percy's breakdown yesterday had shattered the Titans' illusions over Odyssey Cove. Familiar streets held alien graffiti, hidden nest of iron and bones poked out of ruined hovels, and puddles of murky gold mud and blood oozed down into the sewers.

It had to be like waking up in a nightmare for the mortals. The thought made me pause just a bit, just long enough to wonder when the divide had sprung up. When had they become the 'mortals' and when did I stop being one of them?

All the answer I needed was stretched across the horizon. Mount Othrys had risen. The abomination reached its rocky spires o the heaves, dark fingers slicing into the underbellies of pearly clouds. There were holes visible all the way from here, gnawed deep into the black marble, constantly shifting with invisible movement.

Then, even higher, there was the fortress- a towering, monumental monstrosity of sharp angles and molten bronze. It gleamed in the red dawn, a terrible beacon hovering on the horizon for all to behold. Annabeth and Luke had done their recon- Kronos had abandoned the gates of his kingdom, and no efforts had been made to hide the mountain.

It was a threat and an invitation. The Titans were done playing out of sight, and they were happy to welcome us with open arms and countless blades. But I wasn't afraid. Frank and Piper had stared with dread and gaping mouths when Mount Othrys exploded into view. Not me though. Of course, I was afraid, only fools weren't afraid. But I knew why I was here.

Godly blood ran through my veins, the power to mold the world echoed in my beating heart. I was going to be a hero, we all were. No one was going to be left behind, we would save everyone.

Frank shot a warning arm out, his muscular frame stealthily shifting us out of view as a lone dracaena slithered along, it's tails slapping against the cracked asphalt until the freak turned towards the mountain, vanishing into the woods. Jason glared after it, hovering out to lead the way.

"I wish Percy was here." He huffed under his breath, unintended longing spoiling his tone.

Frank and I shared a knowing look, eyeing our fellow Roman with sly grins. Poor guy was crushing hard on our ocean demigod, he babbled about him an awful lot. He even styled his shorter hair after Percy's, which was a little weird perhaps, but flattering.

"Preaching to the choir." Frank grinned, picking up the pace as we dashed to the shadows, my magic bending them around us in a dark veil. "Kiddo needs to rest though; even one-man armies need beauty sleep."

"He's already perfect!" Jason snapped.

The breeze took a chilly turn, Jason zipping a few feet ahead. I plodded after him, feeling unease grip me at that tone. It was possessive, wild, and passionate- and it sounded an awful lot like Monster Bond crazed Piper and Frank. I'd bet anything I sounded the same gambling my fortune for gold beyond imagination.

Nobody really knew Jason- he was the new kid on the block, before the block got infested by monsters and madmen. He was a natural leader, the popular jock everybody loved- but we didn't know his tells, his weaknesses, and he was still Bonded to something. Envy hadn't shone through yet, it wasn't pulling Jason's strings behind the scenes. Was it?

"He's stuck with that brat too." He huffed, the breeze cutting colder. "No wonder he's falling apart."

"Luke gets on everybody's nerves." Frank agreed, still trying in vain to keep up with Jason, "But I think his hearts in the right place, even if he goes about it the wrong way. You just need to give him a chance."

The boy scoffed, fists clenching and unclenching. "He doesn't deserve a chance, that's Percy's chance to live again, and he needs to live because I want him."

Frank finally seemed to put two and two together on the odd scale, a deep frown forming. He reached back instinctively, grabbing my hand and turning back, an adorably confuzzled expression questioning me. I nodded, squeezing his hand and mouthing 'Envy'. Frank turned grim and serious, clearing standing up to his annoyingly enormous full height, ready to confront Jason.

The older Roman beat him to the punch, whirling back with a curious smile as he asked, "So how long have you known Leo?"

The frosty breeze wilted and died in an instant, a warm southern draft rolling in as though nothing had happened. Jason's cheery, friendly demeanor had slipped back in pace, as though his sin hadn't been parading down the street wearing his skin.

My boyfriend opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water, unsure how to proceed. I could practically see the cogs in his head, the need to drill Jason for information and take out his sin fighting the desire to smooth things over and keep everybody happy.

I spared him the choice and hummed thoughtfully.

"We grew up together, I've known him since we were still waddling in diapers." Back when Mama had friends here, before we lived on the wrong side of town, living off superstition and fear. "We still hang out, or at least we did, before, you know. Last time we got together we had a movie marathon-some horror series, I can't remember for the life of me. The only scary part was when Leo tried to bring my popcorn make to life."

The mechanical monstrosity had bounced around Leo's garage, chasing us until we unleashed Buford, a three-legged table butler on it to save the day. I really missed that crazy boy, we had some good adventures.

When Piper left to be with the cool kids, and later the Empousa, Leo and Frank had been there to keep me flying high. But then Leo stopped doing much of anything and Frank started living at the all you could eat buffet, and I was all alone.

I could have saved them back then if I were a better friend. I didn't need magic or heroes to do this job, to protect the people I cared about. But I had been selfish, I cut myself off, so I wouldn't feel the same hurt that took over when Piper left, and I didn't bother checking in or worrying about why there were acting so strange.

We were teens, it wasn't some big thing, it was probably just a phase. Except it wasn't, and it took having my soul grafted to the mythological king of greed to learn that lesson. I failed back then because I didn't believe in myself, and I couldn't believe in my friends either. But that was changing.

"He's my neighbor." Frank confessed with a fond smile, "We met when he accidently set out garage on fire."

Jason guffawed, laughing as Frank told the tale of how the firemen struggled to put it out, then worked on dragging Leo out of the tree he was stuck in, only for the Latino to set miraculously set their ladder alight.

"I remember that." I chuckled, giving Frank a bump and leaning into him with a happy sigh. "You both got community service for months after that."

"Only because he blamed me for not fireproofing our garage door!" Frank explained quickly, rolling his eyes. "I ended up hating him all summer, especially when he flirted with you."

I raised an eyebrow, Frank suddenly realizing his confession and trying to backtrack. All I could see was the blushing, bashful sheep in my head as I batted my eyes and grinned at my enormous boyfriend.

"Why Frank, you wouldn't have happened to be jealous now would you?"

Frank, in his adorably dorky glory, twiddled his thumbs and sheepishly smiled at me. "I mean, I thought you two were going steady until he started flirting with me. I didn't realize you- you were cute, and I didn't know what to say so I mean…"

I could have let him go on for hours as he rattled and rambled, loosing whatever point he had been trying to make, shrinking into himself the whole time. Jason summoned another zephyr, lifting us off the ground and to the rooftops as Boreads came into view, giving us an affectionate nod.

"Leo hit on me too when we met. You know, after he hit me upside the head with his sentient frisbee, the 'Stud Detector 320-555, that's my number by the way, you should call me blondie.'"

Yup, that flirting had Leo written all over it, half train wreck, half adorable, half psycho genius, all ADHD. Maybe having him and Percy in the same group wouldn't be the best of ideas… But that was Leo, always getting into trouble. And speaking of which, there he was, slumped over in the farthest window of Boreads, asleep in the corner booth.

We hustled to the edge of the roof, peering over to scan the ice cream shop. Those pastel colored doors wouldn't open for another three hours, and all the lights were off, only the candy stained neon lights of the welcome sign illuminating the interior. Other patrons were seated around at their booths, but they were only mannequins, meant to keep people moving. The only real boy in there was our small friend, sleeping in a rather uncomfortable looking lump over a table.

"Nothing in sight- What are you reading Hazel?"

Right, I almost forgot about this part. Jason had been ecstatic to learn about my powers over the Mist, especially when I mentioned being able to feel where monsters and Bonds were. Last night it had been easy for him to talk me into the trick again, even if I had nearly passed out from the pain the first time I mentioned it. Not that I had really mentioned that part to either of them, especially Frank.

Last night I had been sure I could do this- I had been training, and all I needed to do was check around to see who was lurking and where. Ten seconds tops. After this mornings fiasco though, I wasn't so sure. The Mist felt different, volatile, as though something else was in there, splashing away and waiting to drag me under.

"Haze?"

I jumped at Franks touch, offering a comforting smile and taking a deep breath, sinking to the ground and closing my eyes.

"Mind holding me up? It'll help?"

Frank nodded without a second thought, giving me a confident, albeit worried nod, kneeling beside me and supporting me as I leaned back. It was my time to shine. The Mist was waiting for me, the moment I called on it, magic billowed, constricting my limbs and filling my lungs. It wasn't as crazed as it had been this morning when it forced me to witness Nico murdering Percy; it was focused and precise, cutting me open like a knife.

This wasn't at all like the last time, it was so much more. The Mist heard my wishes, but it listened to something else, scooping me out of my skin and showing me the reflection of our world, a world of pure magic. Frank and Jason kept me anchored in reality, but I was starting to float away, struggling to stay in myself as I opened my eyes.

I beheld the other side of Odyssey Cove, a place inhabited by monsters and magic, gods and divinity. It was a struggle, though I could make out the wriggling, writing lights scarred around town and lingering in the forest, the signs of freaks creeping about. There were the Bonds too, light forged chains tying my friends to unfair fates. Lethargic blue was on a short leash, Leo frozen only feet above his fiend, while frenzied, angry red and black swarmed in the shadows, Nico's bond stretched taut to Mount Othrys. And then there was green, bright and shiny, flighty incarnate as it twisted from Jason and out to the coast.

There was something else though, a shadow, or an echo that reached from the fortress down to the Shoebox, something that had died years ago but was still there, a scar that still held a sliver of life. I was drifting, my focus had shifted, and I was floating away from my body.

There was so much to see though, all the small things didn't matter compared to the big picture. I could see everything now, it was slowly becoming clearer, although something kept me away from the truth, it anchored me to Odyssey Cove. And so I looked back down.

There was Percy, a glowing star in the Shoebox, with Annabeth snoring on the cot above him. There was Nico too, holding his oversized pooch as he hid, living in shadows. I spun in the air, the Mist coursing through my lungs, trying to show me something. Something drew me to the sea, to the dead ocean abandoned as monsters and titans invaded. The morning sunrise reflected in the waves was a great, shining shape, curled to mirror the sk. Only it wasn't a reflection- could feel the rage, the wrath, the want. Envy.

They boiled and raged, ageless, endless want and need poisoning the waters. Their power was overwhelming, their need for revenge, the want to take Olympus was too much, I turned away, making the mistake of turning towards Othrys.

The father of all monsters that dwelled beneath the waves was nothing compared to the burning nova in the house of the Titans. Millions of monsters churned inside those stone walls, billions of tiny lights burning my eyes. It was nothing to the horrible, cracked light inside the fortress though. It ebbed and flowed, a wound in the very nature of men and magic, threatening to snuff both out. Kronos...

I couldn't look, I couldn't see. Far below, a blonde boy and an Asian Adonis struggled to wake an unresponsive girl with frizzy hair and golden eyes, but I was too far away to help. The Mist was pulling and tugging me, it was dragging me up, a feeling of desperation overwhelming who I was, tearing me away from who I was.

The further away I was, the clearer it all became, the more I saw that it was trying to protect me, trying to keep me away from the blight poisoning our magic, the mistake that threatened an end if it could.

Cold, scarred hands covered my eyes, impossibly shutting out the void that called to me, shutting out the Mist entirely, and that small, quiet voice that had guided me this morning spoke up again.

_o_ _**H** _ _H_ _**aZ** _ _E, y_ _**O** _ _U_ _**'Re** _ _sE_ _**tTi** _ _N_ _**g** _ _**YOU** _ _r si_ _**G** _ _H_ _**T** _ _s A_ _**bi** _ _T_ _**Hi** _ _G_ _**h** _ _d_ _**O** _ _n'_ _**T** _ _Y_ _**Ou** _ _T_ _**Hi** _ _n_ _**K** _ **?**

It was a lack of a voice, all too familiar but so different, and so lost, whispering in my ear.

_P_ _**ER** _ _c_ _**y** _ _w_ _**OU** _ _l_ _**dN'** _ _T lI_ _**K** _ _e L_ _**oo** _ _Si_ _**n** _ _G O_ _**ne** _ _o_ _**F** _ _H_ _**iS** _ _**t** _ _o_ _**yS** _ _, E_ _**Sp** _ _E_ _**Ci** _ _a_ _**lLY** _ _th_ _**E** _ _T_ _**Oy** _ _t_ _**ha** _ _T W_ _**iLl** _ _B_ _**r** _ _iN_ _**G** _ _**hI** _ _m_ _**Di** _ _an_ _**GE** _ _l_ _**o** _ _. s_ _**O** _ _**H** _ _ere_ _**'S** _ _**WH** _ _aT Y_ _**ou'r** _ _E G_ _**oING** _ _t_ _**O** _ _dO_ _**Wi** _ _T_ _**Ch…** _

I didn't have enough sense to hear them, but I remembered every word they whispered, every twisted syllable they carved into me. When they left, I was spiraling downward, the world around me was blurring back into reality; and now-

I gasped, rocketing upward, head spinning and begging for air that wouldn't come. There wasn't enough space in my body anymore, I felt so small compared to… compared to what? I had gone into the Mist to scout, I could remember fuzzy impressions of the Bonds, but everything else was fading, the way a recurring nightmare slinked out of your mind, waiting for you to fall back into its clutches.

"Oh my god I thought I lost you!" Frank panicked, holding me tight to his chest before pulling me away and searching my face. "Are you okay?"

"What happened? Jason butted in, leaning my head up and examining my eyes in the light, gentle jolts springing from his fingers, bringing the feeling back to my limbs. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

I was still a little wobbly, but there was no blood or agonizing pain this time. Whatever had happened had worked. I knew what I needed to, except… I couldn't use the Mist. Not yet anyway. It was as though someone had reached inside me and flicked a switch, the only magic running through my veins was from Pluto. For some reason, I got the impression that that was a good thing. For now.

"You're holding up your whole hand sparky." I breathed, steadying myself in Franks grip and allowing him to lift me up. "I took a wrong turn, I'm fine."

They didn't believe me. I didn't believe me. I felt calm though, I was humming a song in the back of my head, something that kept me focused and ready for the mission. Except it wasn't a song I knew, and I wasn't the one humming.

I took a running leap off the building, Jason yelping as his winds caught my fall, lessening the fall as I hit the ground with a quiet plop, the boys gliding down after me. My arm was outstretched towards the lock when I approached the front door, metallic clicks greeting our ears as I guided the tumblers into place. Jason and Frank gave impressed grunts as I swung the door open, tiptoeing onto the welcome mat and investigating the ice cream shop.

Up close and personal, the creamery wasn't that impressive. It was all pictures and colors, a half baked attempted to draw attention and drag you in. Ice cream stencils covered the walls, abandoned and out of place in the bright shop; even the space behind the counter was empty, nothing but an empty stand for their frozen confectioneries.

My breath misted in the air as I glanced at the heavy fridge door right beside the counter, locked from the inside. It would have looked more at place in a bank vault or a bunker, its stark difference seemed lazy and rushed.

Frank made to move, but Jason and I stopped him, pointing down at the icy tiles beneath our feet. I couldn't see anymore, but I remembered the presence below the shop, just a few feet beneath our shoes. The sound of shattering glass or the tip tap on those tiles would have them up here at a moments notice.

Jason took the lead now, slowly hovering over towards Leo, careful not to make a sound. Frank went to lookout when I pointed out the door, shivering when the temperature dropped. Something felt off in here, and it wasn't the dwindling thermostat. I felt… life. Feeble and dying, but life, all around us, the all but silent hum of lost souls.

Jason was lifting Leo over his shoulder now, and Frank was breathing hard. My eyes fell on the mannequins, taking in their frozen smiles, caught in mid conversation, completely lifelike. One near the counter even looked strangely taken aback, surprise written in their features, scrambling to move away. The air was too cold, I stepped back outside but it only got worse, the tips of my fingers were going numb.

" _Enchanté, fille de la mort."_

Frank gave a cry, and the world spun again as I was thrown to the ground, the sound of a sword shattering glass as loud as thunder. Luke's training screamed in my head and I curled into myself, rolling away and to my feet, fingers summoning my sword from it's scabbard. The hilt flew towards my hand, but a pale blur intercepted it, the blade twirling past my face, so close I could see my own startled reflection in the gold surface.

Frank kicked me, tossing me to the ground as that same blur shot out, the movement stopping just short of my nose as I fell out of reach. My nose grew numb as I went cross-eyed, staring at the delicate white finger that was only a breath away. I followed it up an equally delicate, sculpted arm, straight as marble, to stare into the face of a beautiful girl.

Coffee black eyes were fixed on my soul, lush black hair framing her heart shaped face and melting into a fur lined cloak, draped over her impossibly pale figure. She was leaning forward, suspended in midair by Frank, who was struggling with all his might to pull her away.

" _Donnez-moi votre détester_." She murmured, voice as cold and dead as a winters night.

She turned the tables on Frank, slender claws snaring his arm and rag dolling him into the front doors. Frank hollered on impact, the holler turning into a bellow as coarse fur erupted across his body, snout stretching and shoulders lurching as a mighty bear snapped its jaws down on the girl.

She was faster, she caught his teeth in her hands, those tiny hands pushing back as Frank tired in vain to crunch her. An enormous paw zigzagged down at her, but she turned to snow, blitzing over to Jason as he ran to the door, Leo cradled in his arms.

He spun, lightning crackling, only to freeze as she caught his throat. Jason gasped, the sound strange and strangled as ice crept over his skin, doing his best to protect the comatose Leo from her grasp. Frank charged in, and I pulsed, a magnetic implosion ripping metal fixtures and nails out of the wall towards our attacker.

She abandoned Jason, letting the boy fall to the floor as he struggled to keep aloft, dancing around Frank as he rushed her. I raced forward, helping Jason haul Leo while Frank-Bear roared, their fight crashing through a nearby window. There was a telltale rush of magic in the air, instinctive power spilling from me as I pulled the front of the store down to block out an explosion of white, cold engulfing the world.

It took too long for my sight to come back. I could feel her in front of me, waiting patiently as my vision blurred and the frostbite warmed. I wanted her to get it over with, the feeling of that cold, dead smile locked onto me while I regained my senses left me afraid and panicked.

This was a game of cat and mouse. She was out of our league, and we all knew it. Whoever this overpowering being was, she had all the cards, and she was milking her victory for all it was worth. I didn't give her the satisfaction at first, forcing myself to find Frank.

It was difficult to see- besides the blurriness, a misty blizzard had washed over the street, frost painting the stones in shining scars. But there he was, just a few feet away behind the wall I had brought down, pose stiff and rigid. He was frozen-literally. The boy of my dreams was halfway between shifts, somewhere in between a valiant boy and an agonized bear, reaching out to try and protect us.

Rage built up inside me and the girl smiled, daintily reaching out to touch my cheek. Something yanked the plug though, and the anger was gone before she reached me, her subzero touch so cold it burned. I felt strangely calm as I stared into the girls eyes, waiting. I kept my hands at my sides and kept to my full height, waiting. No need to give her an excuse to catch me to- with her this close, I don't think I could avoid a lethal game of freeze tag.

She looked confused, my face burning as she clawed me, expecting something that never came.

" _Où est ta fureur?"_

Cold fury radiated from her as she demanded an answer I couldn't give, but it was weak, and the longer she glared at me, the smaller it felt. She looked past, following the chattering behind me, those dark, frozen eyes wandering to Jason, who was hovering just a few feet away, Leo cradled to his chest, both of them peppered in snow.

She returned her focus to me, giving a disinterested shrug. " _Prendre les garçons_."

A blue chain, the color of midnight snow and black ice willed itself into existence, clinking against the ground, linking the girl- the goddess, to Leo. It trailed up his back as her quick fingers darted forward, snagging the chain and wrenching at the links.

She was trying to break her Bond? That didn't make sense, she was on Kronos' side. Wasn't she? Despite the herculean might the frozen beauty hid, the chain held strong, and she sighed, letting it fall back into nothingness.

The goddess seemed resigned as she stepped aside, the temperature plummeting further into the negatives, frost creeping up my legs as she paced past me, and into the ruined creamery.

" _Amèneriez les Titans Courroux. C'est ma fin_."

Jason jumped as she appeared beside him, impossibly fast, raising her arm, a heavy silver bangle dropping to her forearm as she traced his cheek, flinching when ice followed her delicate touch. She giggled, only to sigh and turn away, shoulders drooped as she made her way to the back.

"What about Frank?" I demanded, the calm breaking as she got further away.

Those frozen globes found me again, a cold front brewing as hidden calculations formed inside her icy domain, Jason at my side now, Leo out of sight as he readied for a fight we wouldn't win. Words were coming together in my head, years of Piper's annoying French lessons trying to send me a message.

After a waiting an eternity, she shook her head, giving a pitiful look that reminded me too much of Luke this morning; dead, nothing but the embers of a fire that had been burning.

" _Il reste avec moi jusqu'à la fin_."

And with that she turned, vanishing in a silent fall of snow, vanishing through a vent and into the bunker below. My chest hurt, the calm truly breaking as the situation crashed down on me. Frank was frozen, we had almost been frozen, a bond had almost been broken, and the goddess responsible for this wasn't going to fight us.

She had been so quiet and fast though. We wouldn't have stood a chance. How were Luke and Percy supposed to fight that? Something about Percy made my mind race right now, Piper's stupid French lessons screaming in my skull.

"He's going to be okay Haze." I gave a sigh of relief as Jason studied Frank, tapping on the thick ice, magic flowing vainly into the statue that was my boyfriend. "But I'm not going to be able to get him out. We need ice magic, the heavy stuff too."

And then it clicked; I remembered that stupid movie now, the remake Piper's dad had been in, the one she trash talked in French so he wouldn't hear her. Wrath of the Titans. Or in this case, a Titan's Wrath. The goddess wanted Percy.

That calm engulfed me again, and I relaxed, panic draining away in place of hard stoicism. She was trying to break her bond, and she had asked for Percy- she wanted us to bring the heroes here. Which could either be the first steps to a rather cunning trap, or… I didn't really know.

"You need to go get Percy and Luke." I ordered, picking up Leo and placing him in Jason's arms. "Help them break Leo's bond, and get them back here."

"I'm not going to leave you here." Jason argued, but I glared up at the Roman, standing up to my full, unimpressive height.

"And I'm not leaving him alone. Go."

Jason gave an aggravated groan, surveying our winter wasteland before walking over to a car. He gently set Leo on the hood before walking over and trying the frozen handle, sparks flying until he wrenched it open.

"Get in, you'll be safe inside. I promise we won't be long."

He threw Leo over his shoulder and took to the sky, vanishing in a purple blur. I watched after him for a long time, before turning back to Frank. The ice hurt my skin when I reached out, but I held his cold hand anyways.

Mistakes were made. We never should have come out here, not without help. We weren't heroes, not yet. I had messed up. But come hell or highwater, no one was going to be left behind on my watch this time. Never again.

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**Oh my gosh, so many reviews on that last chapter! And you guys got my references too haha. I am so sorry about the wait, I always hate making readers wait when the story is so clear in my head, but the last few months I just kept missing deadline and promising to myself that I would catch the next one. My personal writing has suffered quite a lot, and it's been a struggle to make this story continue to work, especially as it feels I'm falling out of touch with the characters. However, with the end in sight, I hope you can give me some patience and enjoy the final bits and pieces, however far off they might be.**

**Enchanté, fille de la mort-Nice to meet you, daughter of death.**

**Donnez-moi votre détester-Give me your hate.**

**Où est ta fureur-Where is your fury?**

**Prendre les garçons-Take the boys.**

**Amèneriez les Titans Courroux. C'est ma fin-Bring the Titan's Wrath. This is the end of me.**

**Il reste avec moi jusqu'à la fin-He stays with me until the end.**

**A friend/fan helped me with the French for Khione, I thought it might be a nice touch for the moment, although don't worry you'll be more than capable of understanding her in a bit, all with be explained and hopefully it'll be cool. I kinda just wanted to try out some new languages so if it works and it wasn't to distracting, sweet!**


	28. The Repair Boy

**Disclaimer; Own Percy Jackson do I not**

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**The Repair Boy**

Leo POV

Location- **Who knows? I think I was…. Um… kidnapped? They keep calling it shoehorn or something…**

 **Reality’s an Illusion** days, **The Universe Is a Hologram** hours, **Buy Gold** minutes until…?

Tia Callida sat across from me, her leathered hands constantly shifting as she fiddled with her scrapbook. The project took up most of our booth- at least it had. Where was our booth? And where in the name of my nonexistent sanity was the ice cream? Some gorgeous girl, right out of a winter catalogue, had offered to let me taste test her shops gelato, and I had been like, _Sign me up!_

Except I don’t think I ever got my samples, and the girl avoided me the same way I avoided Mystery Meat Monday. She was here-wait, wasn’t she? I opened my eyes-or was this closing them? Whichever it was, I didn’t see her.

It totally sucked, I missed hearing her swear in… in… what language was that? I used to know it- no clue how to speak it, although I was programming Buford to. A proper butler always needed to know how to chat in whatever language it was that she was langauging in.

I started to mouth one of those exotic curses, but Callida’s piercing dark eyes zeroed in and I raised my hands in surrender. At least I tried to-and failed. The motion was ‘meh’ incarnate; shoulders barely rising, hands struggling to show effort only to flop down in my lap like awkward potatoes.

Those hands were so empty, they bugged me. The best I could do was twitch them longingly, suddenly all too aware of the weight of the fully stocked, forge friendly, fanny pack mom had passed down to me hanging off my side. It was always jingling, bits of scrap, bolts, washers, nails, rivets, and a million and one other machine parts chattering around my fingers when I tinkered.

What was I working on now? The toaster AI, the five-headed opera giraffe of doom, the Valdezinator, or the totally legal handheld nuclear generator? Didn’t I have blueprints-well, napkin prints- stuffed around somewhere?  

Probably. But the more I thought about them, the faster the ideas died. It was like trying to hold water in your hands without cheating-everything spilled down the drain. That was my waking hell the last few… hours? Days? Inspiration was a fickle glitch, and nowadays nothing came to life the way I wanted it to.

Maybe there were some loose wires up in my head. How did you fix that? Grandma always wanted me to be a doctor. All I needed were a couple tweaks and I’m pretty sure I could poke inside my skull and take a peek under the hood. That counted as being a doctor, right? Leo Valdez, MD-PhD, STUD, at your service!

I slumped forward, Tia Callida slipping out of sight until somebody caught my shoulder, righting me against something soft and ruffling my hair. Was it Ms. Drop Dead Gorgeous? Sadly, no gorgeous French girls wandered into my sight, and I was to bored to actually turn my head the three degrees I needed to check her out.

There were garbled voices, the kind that came through in-between radio stations in all their wonky glory. I made out a few words once in a while, but the harder I concentrated, the less I heard. It wasn’t like they were saying anything important.

I tried to tune them out, dragging my palm across my hip t the fanny pack and digging inside. The jingling music when gears and cogs trickled past my fingertips was a one hit wonder. It was a quick flare, an adrenaline fix that brought the color back into the world for a split second.

We were definitely not in the ice cream shop anymore. This was some dreary apartment; the kind of illegal sublet deathtrap mom and I had lived in over our garage. Felt nice and homey. Was this home? Nah, too few scorch marks and not enough fireproof wallpaper.

Besides, home didn’t have smoking hot boys draped over couches, especially not shirtless ones with killer abs and crooked smiles. It should though- I made a note to start scrapping together some new eye candy for the Leo Pad. Hands on study with that model was a must too, drool worthy art needed a whole lot of up close and personal study.

The shirtless one must have noticed me licking my lips, he nudged the other hottie, a blonde superman, and pointed in my direction. Some of the worlds corniest pickup lines swirled in my brain, and I flashed a smile that always go the girls. To roll their eyes most of the time, granted, but it still got them.

“Hey… sparky… come here often… or my number… fell from heaven… allergic to feathers.”

Huh. Pretty sure that wasn’t the perfect Leo patented pickup line that I built my fan club off of, but details. I mean, I doubt they’d forget that train wreck anytime soon, it wasn’t exactly the usual ‘hey you’re hot, I’m hot, let’s go set the sun on fire’ material.

The blonde was speaking, but no noise was coming out. Probably needed some new batteries. The black-haired boy beside him was smiling too-at least trying to. That kid was broken, something was busted up inside him. I could feel it from here, it was there in those sea green jewels of his. Something wrong.

He needed a patch-job, there were some missing parts in there. Maybe I had something for that in my bag. The urge to fix beat out the boredom hands down, my fingers jangling as I searched the pack. I knew the hottie next to him. Jason Grace. We’d been friends for ages, maybe more before… before what?

Another voice- I didn’t like this one, it was like a dying motor- wheezed, earning twin glares from my models. Blue was flashing in front of my eyes. Jason was brandishing a souped-up Taser at the speaker. No, he was the Taser. Electricity arced off his palm, the smell of ozone was invading my nose.

Okay, I was obviously dreaming. That explained the gorgeous boys whipping out superpowers, vanished French girl, and Tia Callida-hadn’t she kicked the bucket years ago? For a figment of my amazing imagination, she hit pretty hard, her hand smacking against the back of my head when I tried to go back to sleep and wake up.

The pain was awfully real, I’m pretty sure I was growing one of those head bumps they always got in cartoons when the rabbits smacked them with a mallet. Then again, I’d had some painful nightmares before.

I was going to wake up. Then I could fix everything. Too bad that took so much effort though.  Why was everything so hard? I couldn’t do anything right lately, I was cursed. Epic ideas were rusting away in my skull while I fumbled over nuts and bolts. Nothing came out right anymore, it was all disproportionate and nonfunctional.

Then again, nine out of ten Leo’s voted that I was nonfunctional, so where did that leave me? Where did that leave the tenth Leo? If there were nine other Leo’s out there, why hadn’t we taken over the world yet; where were the art deco kangaroos and the Floating Fortress of Awesomeness?

My fingers stopped moving and I stared at my latest trinket, biting my tongue with baited breath and hope for… for a fidget spinner. Okay, not bad considering what I made it from. Maybe I made a fidget spinner of doom, or the all-powerful boomerang spinner?

I gave it an experimental flick, metal clinking and clanking as it moved a fraction of an inch before the blades locked into place, falling to pieces in my lap. Figures. This was easy, I had already put out a whole series of ‘how-to-party-like-a-LEO’ videos online with my other gadgets. I literally made a spinner top hat as a challenge, complete with functional bowtie and x-ray monocle.

Now I couldn’t even lock a gauge in place. Useless scrap.

I pulled the last pieces apart, color fading out of the room as I lost interest. Flirty was a no, talking was off the table, and inventing was a laugh. What was the point? Tia Callida stopped scrapbooking for the first time in years, reverently closing the pages and breathing out an old, breathy sigh.

The crone didn’t say a word, but I hear her in my head, whispering to my brain. A whole conversation was filed away, instructions and blueprints that I couldn’t read tucked into my grey matter, probably to be lost forever, like the firework hamster I made back in fourth grade.

I didn’t know how to answer her, all I could do was listen, caught in her hideously black eyes. A liver spotted hand patted my cheek, Callida offering me the barest hint of a smile- or a snarl, it was impossible to tell in her leathery face. She turned my head with a gnarled claw whispering ‘buena suerte’ as she left.

The words were a slap in the face, alien positivity echoing from her as she vanished. The curiosity was enough to bring the world, dull as it was, back into focus, long enough for me to catch the ravenette’s query. 

“Water you doing Leo?” Was that… was that a pun? Someone booed, the black-haired boy turning to wink, following up with a, “Did you sea what I did there?”

Jason cracked up- his finger lightning was out, that was boring, but still on the list for later-laughing while an audience continued booing. There was serious chatting in the background, trying to stay super cereal while the boy plucked water bubbles out of the air, juggling the physical impossibilities, sticking out his tongue at invisible viewers.

How was he doing that? Nanotech? Finger puppets? Gravity wells or tension converters? Whatever it was, I wanted in on that! Sign me up for whatever genetic abominations they were dosing!

“Are you shore? Cause if you did, you’d dolphinitely be laughing.”

That pun was painful, it made no sense, and I loved it. There was a collective, excited silence when I giggled, the room buzzing as the audience fully came into view. I recognized Piper’s kaleidoscope eyes, and there was that blonde girl- wow, we had a lot of blondes, not that I was complaining- the one who had been wandering town for a while, watching us.

That other blonde showed his face too- I didn’t like him. He matched his voice in looks, a total knockoff of Jason, with about as much appeal and charm as a cockroach.

“Leo? Can you hear me?”

It was a good thing I didn’t have personal space issues, Piper was getting right up in my grill, looking for any telltale signs of a response. When no words slipped out and I didn’t boop her, I gave up, vaguely bobbing my head as best I could.

I was so bored, I couldn’t even sight, it would be too much effort. I wanted to go back to sleep. At least when I was asleep I wasn’t depressed over how much of a failure I had become. Wait, was I asleep the whole time? Is that what that empty file in my brain was? Then again, there were loads of blank spaces rolling around up here, how was I supposed to know?

“You’re safe now Leo, Jason brought you back.”

I always knew he was a superman. Wait, holy crap, he had superpowers, he literally was a superman. Was his kryptonite plastic frisbees? I almost knocked him out with one an on purpose/accidental frisbee to the head, so I could say hi back when he first flew into town.

“Now we have to go bring Frank and Hazel back.” The bad blonde muttered under his breath.

Yeah, I didn’t like him. Have I mentioned the similarities with a cockroach? Our apartment had cockroaches once. Fast, angry, cowardly things that clicked and buzzed until you confronted them. He was about as shiny and slimy as them too, those shifty eyes reminded me of their frantic antennae. And what was that about Frank and Hazel? Did this mean they had superpowers too? Did everyone I flirted with have superpowers?

“Not now Luke.” The blonde girl- Annabelle? Anna Lee? Anna something, we’ll stick with Anna- warned, gray gaze pushing him away.

She didn’t like him either. We were going to get along just fine.

“Come back to us Leo.” Jason, his tingling digits finding my palm.

I really, really liked hearing my name on his lips. I liked being on those lips, hearing him purr my name when we were hanging out. Why had he left me? We had been having so much fun and then he was gone. Once he left, everything fell apart, that’s when the curse hit, and I malfunctioned.

I was angry with him- that’s why I went to get ice cream in the first place. It was way to exhausting to be angry though, who had the stamina for this? ADHD and stubbornness prevailed in the end though, and I focused past him on the black-haired boy.

Everyone was all worried and trying to explain the situation, but no one was bothering to explain why he didn’t have a shirt or why we weren’t banning him from ever wearing shirts again. Scars decorated his tanned skin like pale filigree, but they weren’t what was broken. It was deeper, and I found myself looking back into those sea green gears of his, hoping to catch sight of those frayed wires or burn chips inside.

He gave a cheeky salute, a crooked smile from a crooked soul. “Que panda Leo? I’m Percy.”

Que panda… Frank had said the same thing when I taught him Spanish, and it was just as freaking adorable now.

“You…” Everyone went quiet, Piper and Jason eagerly leaning in to catch every syllable. “Have a great… Percynality.”

The room was quiet, confused and stunned expressions greeting my words only for Percy to break the silence, falling back into the cough as he gave a delighted laugh, hopping down on his knees beside me. Annabeth and Luke gave up on life, abandoning the group muttering something about ‘unbelievable’ and ‘now we have two of them.’

I wanted, no, I needed more puns. I hadn’t had a joke war in ages, and it was just sad beating Frank and Jason over and over again. Wait, Frank and Hazel. Luke said they got left behind, back when Jason grabbed me. Were they in trouble?

If there were superheroes did that mean, there were supervillains out there? What happened to me? If Jason was Superman did that make me Lois Lane? Or Leo Lane? Cuz that wasn’t going to fly, I was going to bust some heads! As soon as I figured out how those Taser hands of his worked. Could he do that same trick with his tongue?

My blondie was glaring jealously at Percy, and somehow, I found it in me to smile at the ravenette just to make the glower power a little stronger. A little jealousy never killed anybody, maybe I could show him up for ditching me. Who needed Jason in the Leo Fan Club anyways, we had plenty of members! Like Hazel and Frank. Oh right, they were missing.

Ugh, it wasn’t worth it. They were gone, Jason had walked out on me, that French girl hated my guts, and the world sucked. Who needs it, I wanted to go back to ignoring it all. Superpowers or not, nothing was breaking me out of this funk. It wasn’t fair! The fanboy in me was crying, there were so many things I wanted to get out there and explore! But I didn’t want to risk getting to close, all I these hands were good for was screwing up the things I loved.

A spark of hate was fluttering around in my chest, hot and bright as it flared in vain to set my world on fire. It was going out though. It had burned up everything else trying to keep warm, and this block was starting to choke it out.

Percy and Jason were chatting animatedly not that I cared. It all faded out in the end. They were jamming something in my hands now though, a familiar plastic shape that hand my zombie fingers crawling into place without my marching orders.

My thumbs found their position, I was leaning back, or they were leaning me back, the TV was in sight. Wait, there wasn’t a TV a minute ago was there? I was ninety five percent certain that gorgeous flat screen sticking out of the wall hadn’t been there when the world was in color. The other five percent was pretty sure I needed to just give up on life.

Tia Callida’s displeased hum cracked into my head, as sharp as those scissors of hers that always glinted in her scrapbook pages. The world force fed me its color again, shoving reality down my throat as the sound returned to the world.

“Whale then, I accept your challenge Sparky! Prepare to meet your doom, the Percinator is ready to bring the pain!”

Damn boy, that was my kind of enthusiasm! Why were we excited though? The screen flickered, and a holy choir of angels sang as Mario Kart flashed in front of my eyes. Oh, hell yeah, this was my scene! Holy crow when was the last time I gamed? I tried before, but everything was the same, it was all too boring. This time could be different now that I had some competition to roast. Sulking and depression could wait one game, right? 

They both shut up, grinning when my hands clenched around the controller they had put in my lap, ready to start trash talking the noobs. “Bring it on… Persea! Going… down… We’re gonna… Jason will…”

The thought died about halfway through and I ended up flopping onto Jason’s shoulder, unable to even enjoy being this close to him. Stupid glitch. They had to help me pick out a car, and a character in the end. It wasn’t my fault, I kept scrolling through the options, but everything was disjointed and out of place. The creative block was eating up everything, any information was just a jumble I couldn’t hope to solve.

I wanted to scream ‘Rainbow Road’ when they picked a map, but nothing came out, and we ended up with Moo Moo Meadows. Lame. Not that it mattered, I couldn’t even drive in a straight line. Percy and Jason were speeding along while I was stuck grinding into the scenery at every gentle turn.

My jerking thumbs didn’t translate well, all I could do was crawl to a stop or throw myself in the way of oncoming racers. This sucked. I sucked. Everything sucked. Percy won the first round, and the second, and the third, with Jason finally breaking his streak in the fourth. I came in dead last every time, even when Jason lent me his hand to help steer me while I bent the gas pedal.

 That dying spark wasn’t as dead as I expected though. It grew hotter every time I lost, adding more footage to the ‘Leo Life Fails’ compilation with every crash. These two were total noobs, I was a champ at this! Why the hell was I losing? Jason yelped when I smacked him with a red shell, righting my course and chugging down to eighth place.

Percy was a whole lap ahead, but I was catching up, even if everything was just a mess of cars and boxes. No, focus, no more losing. The spark was a flame now, small and contained but burning brighter. I sat up straight, leaning with every turn, humming with the music as I raced along. Piper and the others were watching now, their eyes on me instead of the screen.

Jason nudged me, grinning ear to ear as I started catching up, bumping off Luigi as he caught an Item box. “I’m about to blow you sky high dude.”

I rolled my eyes, pretending to look scandalized. “We aren’t even dating yet, keep it in your pants blondie.”

Piper cheered me one, Jason shaking his head with a megawatt smile, struggling to stay ahead. Sixth place, fifth place. There he was, I had him in my sights, but Percy was near the finish line. No, screw that noise. My eyes locked on the double Item box floating just ahead, the flame inside me spiking as I collided with it. I already knew what was waiting for me as it shuffled through the options, sending one blue shell after another after him. Jason yelped when his controller disconnected, his character crashing into the wall as I barreled past, the other racers slowing to a stop and letting me pass as I kept spamming blue shell after blue shell at the unfortunate ravenette.

I drove straight into a wall, the map pixelating as I emerged just ahead of Percy, steamrolling forward as he choked on my dust.

“Get dunked on!” I jeered, crossing the finish line and tossing the controller in victory.

Anna and Piper applauded, Jason awarding me a pillow as a trophy while Percy stuck his tongue out, mouthing ‘cheater’ at me. I stuck mine back out at him, whooping as I bowed to the room, kissing my pillow trophy. My limbs were stiff and tight, and it took some spinning to finally right myself and smugly pose, dabbing as hard as I could. That was still cool right? It’d be cooler with superpowers.

“Thank you, thank you. I’d thank the little people, but why spoil the moment when I’m busy being awesome? Leo’s back baby!”

Was I? There was volcano inside me, I could feel everything clicking and humming the way it should be. The world was back in color, and the jumpy feeling was back in my bones. Was it sunny outside? It had been snowing last time I went out, how far behind was I? What about Buford? I had been in the middle of like twenty-five projects, I needed to get on it!

I felt like a champion when Jason swept me off my feet, tossing me up in the air, the wind helping me hover as I basked in glory of that totally world changing Mario Kart match. I was bouncing on an air current when it hit, a deep pain that snagged my spine, yanking me towards the wall as I yelped.  

Annabeth and Jason caught me before I could collide, giving me as much room as possible. I frowned, trying to see over my shoulder, the pain growing stronger and stronger. A heavy duty, glowing chain had phased through the plaster, its blue links locked into place behind me. I spun around, the chain pulling tight, firmly planted in my back.

The others were watching intently, eyes burning into me with baited breath while I studied the device. Nobody offered any explanation, but I didn’t really need one. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew the function of this ratty old thing. This was my curse, this is what had been dragging me down. This was why Tia Callida had come back to watch over me.

Well, no time like the present, time to trash this thing! I studied it for a split second before nodding, stepping forward and rolling it around my hand, feeling for the imperfection I already knew was there. I found the weakest link, glaring at it, crushing the strange phantom metal with all my might. It wasn’t enough though, I needed more strength.

The fire inside me was raging hot, there was smoke in the bellows, I was on fire! Literally! My hands had erupted into open flames, the blue link melting into cold ooze beneath my grip. Everyone was cheering again, this was it! Go team Valdez, repair boy for the win!

“ _Enfin_. _Maintenant, donnez-moi votre detester_ _._ ”

The temperature plummeted and I had the air knocked out of me, my chain snapping with enough force to send me to the ground. Jason and Piper were on their feet beside me, wind was tearing the room apart, a tempest to keep away the danger, but it was only getting colder. There was ice inside my chest, an empty space where there should be flame, it hurt, I could feel the tears in my eyes.

The world was going black as everyone was leaning over me, people were shouting, their words lost in a sea of cold and darkness. Pain was taking over everything, I was cold, so cold…

It wasn’t fair, Leo’s back! Everything was fixed, we were back in action, it was party time with Valdez! It wasn’t fair!

I’m back…

I’m…

* * *

**And I’m back! Short and sweet, but I’m still testing the waters with Leo POV so I didn’t want to drag on. He’s a little OC at the moment only cuz he’s under Sloth’s influence, but I hope that was obvious for everyone, and if not, my sincerest apologies. Shoutout to Remepie and BobInTheComments, thank you so much guys! Enjoy everybody! Have a wonderful morning/day/evening!**

**Enfin. Maintenant, donnez-moi votre detester-Finally. Now, give me your hate.**


	29. Rime or Reason

**Disclaimer; is Percico/Nicery canon? Then sadly no, I don’t own Percy Jackson**

* * *

 

**Rime or Reason**

Hazel POV

Location-  **Odyssey Cove, Hazel’s Stolen Car**

 **10**  days, **15** hours, **22**  minutes until Kronos Rises to Power

Mama never payed the bills on time, even when we scraped enough cash together. It was tough, but I learned how to survive. You could live without water or power. As long as you had a roof and a place to rest your head when the day was done, everything would be okay.

It was the cold that broke me. None of mom’s clients stuck around when the holidays hit, so she had to pick up whatever side job or wanted ad she could once the weather changed. Money ran thin, and having a house at all was more important than having a warm house.

The shack got colder as I grew, the blankets were never enough to keep out the winter chills when they bit through our shacks hodgepodge walls. Nights spent at sleepovers were little miracles, I never wanted to come home. Guilt gnawed harder than the frost whenever I started thinking like that though.

Back then mama worked hard to support us, she really cared. And even if I got to escape the cold for a night, Nico didn’t. I stopped going on sleepovers after that.

The cold was inescapable today. With the sun hidden behind a thick cloudbank and a gleaming inch or two of snow caking everything in sight, Arendelle Avenue was a frozen waste. The car heater was o full, the windows steaming but cleared, Frank in my sights the whole time.

It had been a cinch to hotwire this thing-no magic required. Piper hadn’t been the one who showed me how to jumpstart one of these bad boys back when we accidently committed grand theft auto. Nico taught me years ago, even if he didn’t mean to. He always tried to keep me out of his world, out of his mind. It was infuriating, always having him pushing me away no matter what I did. Nothing helped though, he just wanted to mope and be angry all the time, he wouldn’t give the world a chance. He wouldn’t give me a chance…

At least that’s what I always though until today. After I woke up, going back to Nico was a challenge. We didn’t even talk, we screamed at each other, he told me I didn’t understand. And I didn’t. The frozen statue of my boyfriend across the street was proof enough.

I shouldn’t have fought him, I wish for everything that we could have just hugged it out and moved on, somewhere safe and happy. That didn’t mean he was right- keeping me out of a world to protect me wasn’t his right, it wasn’t for him to decide for me. Not that this had been a choice at all. Didn’t that prove the point though?

He had been trudging along with this burden for so long- why couldn’t he share it? Why did he never let me help him, why was it always me running after him, picking up the pieces and begging him not to run away?

When Luke and Percy saved me, something stirred inside me. This was all terrifying, it was horrible, there were evil ice goddesses who could curb stomp you and your friends for fun-but it was my world. I was born for this. I didn’t ask for any of it, but that was why I wanted it so badly.

This wasn’t a charity case, it wasn’t a desperate job to keep myself afloat. This was a duty, a title to be taken seriously. This was the life of heroes. There wasn’t a day in my life I hadn’t been the one in need of saving. Hell, even when I had magic and a team of demigods at my back I was useless. I couldn’t even fight back when that ice witch struck.

I managed to stop that train of thought with a huff. That wasn’t true. I was playing smart. She was out of our league by a long shot, she had ben toying with us for kicks and giggles. I fi hadn’t kept my head, there would be two or three more statues decorating the sidewalk.

That knowledge didn’t make me feel any better. Just because I stayed calm and bored her out didn’t mean I was doing hero work. I wasn’t like the others, I couldn’t just bust in and change the world like Percy. Percy was the strongest hero I’d ever met. He had more magic in his little finger than all of us combined, he could have saved us. He would save us. He’d fix Leo and come charging in to save the day and clean up my mess.

Or was that why he was that why he was broken in the first place? Percy did a lot of saving around here, his heart was always the first and last choice. I’d listened to his story, I knew about how he grew up. He was a lot like Nico and I. Lost and alone, powerless to be his own hero for the longest time. Yet he was still changing, he would never give up. Percy had screwed up beyond repair, but he came back somehow, he came back hard.

Frank and Piper were scared when they found out the truth- even I was. But knowing that I did didn’t change the truth. Percy was a hero. More than that, he was a hero who believed in me. Frank believed in me. Piper and Annabeth believed in me. Jason believed, he insisted I helped lead the charge today. Even Luke believed, to some sub-microscopic level.

I still had a long way to go, and there wouldn’t always be a get-out-of-jail-free card to bail me out. Except now, if they believed in me I would never give up. I would never back down, I could stop being the one who always needed saving and maybe then, finally, it would be time for me to return eh favor and save someone else.

No one was going to get left behind.

The heater coughed and sputtered out, steamy windows cracking and crystalizing, my breath visible in the air. With a knowing grimace, I rolled down my window, keeping Frank in my sight always. She didn’t just appear out of thin air, she had always been there. I just couldn’t see her. The goddess was dancing in the new fallen snow, flakes spiraling out from her as she tiptoed over the ground, a frozen breeze on the winter wind.

The dance was smooth and flexible, but her motions were stiff and jerky, mechanically flowing with every flourish and pirouette. It grew messier, the girl slowing, a deepest frown in place as she did finally stop, eyes on me. I didn’t bother rolling the window back up. A millimeter of frozen glass and steel was laughable protection against her, and my presence could distract her from Frank.

Black hair swirled through the window as she appeared inches away, eyes still locked on mine as I waited, silent and still, ready to play her game. Because this was a game, I knew it in the back of my head. Sloth wanted to play, she wanted something to shatter the boredom. I had felt it through the Mist, I had felt everything, but those ideas were lost when I crash landed back in my body.

The quiet whispering in my mind put the pieces together, it told me to be calm as I met her challenge. I wouldn’t let her have the satis- an impossibly pale hand blitzed to the tip of my nose and I flinched away before I could think any better of it. She chuckled, a quiet, chilly sound, the kind of sound you might hear before you hit a patch of black ice.

“ _May I enter your domain_?” Her accent was thick and full, her smile pearly white as she awaited my response.

No wonder Luke and Percy skipped the pleasantries with these freaks. It was unsettling to have them smiling at you, knowing they had you in the palm of their claws. Because I wasn’t one of the prisoners chosen by the gods to set balance to the world however, I was forced to nod politely, unlocking the passenger door and waiting as she skipped around.

I didn’t care what she did to me now, Frank would be safe so long as I could keep her attention away. And besides, whatever she did to me, Percy would double when he got his hands around her pale throat. It was a terrible thought, but it kept me warm as she opened the door and hopped in.

“ _I knew you had hate. So rude of you to hide it from me before_.”

I gave her a disinterested hum, eyeing the goddess with distaste. She lounged lazily on the passenger seat, reclining back as a blanket of snow slowly emanated out of her, engulfing the car and snuffing out the warmth.

I couldn’t help it, I was shaking, arms wound tightly at my sides, jaw clamped shut so my teeth wouldn’t chatter. She nuzzled into the frozen material, throwing her bare feet up on the dashboard, grinning sadistically at me.

“You s-speak English, huh?” It was a stupid question, but I was too cold to think clearly.

Priorities had the controls; Keep Frank safe, stall the ice goddess, wait for revenge. I would play her game no matter how subzero she became.

“ _Oui. My apologies that your feeble mind couldn’t comprehend such a beautiful language. Being chained to that mongrel has ruined me_.”

That was… Interesting. The other Sins had been empowered by us, they fed on our strength to keep us out of the race. Why was she different?

“ _How would you feel if I shattered him? Ton amour_?”

Don’t panic Haze, don’t give her an excuse. She’d take anything I gave her, the barest hint, just to keep herself entertained. As much as I wanted to challenge her, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Seeing Frank in pieces broke me more than the cold ever could.

“Why did you t-t-try to break your Bond?” I insisted, hating my own chattering weakness.

She frowned when I refused to back down, giving a bleary sigh and tracing frost patterns into the roof.

“ _We were not meant to be_.” She confessed, snowflakes dancing on her palm. “ _I had chosen your brother. He has so much hate to share. Our Wrath would have frozen the world_.”

“But Kampê got him first.”

The goddess shook her head, a far off look in her gaze. “ _I met that mongrel to distract him. It was my masters will for the boy to be bait for the other players, the ace in the hole. Our Bond is an abomination, a curse on the two of us_.”

Then why were they Bonded? This goddess wasn’t Sloth, that much was clear. Wrath made sense, her flighty, delicate hands hid the rage I knew was frozen inside. Yet Kampê had stolen Nico from her, from both of us, and she was stranded with Leo.

“ _It was not my doing, some dark power brought this union to pass. Tied to his hideous flames, my magic… my divinity has melted away. I was promised power, the world was to be mine when Olympus fell. That brat stole the future from me_.”

Opposites don’t always attract. Fire and ice, Leo and the goddess. He was a son of Hephaestus, god of the forge- his magic melted her away, hers snuffed him out of existence. There was nothing to build on, no power to be gained either way, their Bond was a no win curse. No wonder they were Sloth, their very nature was being erased by sheer proximity to each other.

_“Without him, I already feel my magic returning.”_

As if to prove it, she let out a pulse of cold, shattering the windows with her presence alone. It was so cold it was burning; my skin was screaming in agony s I glared her down.

“Wh… Wh-why… k-k-keep Frank.” I demanded.

She blinked slowly before grinning widely, disappearing only to reappear at his side, her back to me. There was no hesitation, I spun around, power going into overload as I literally kicked the frozen car door off its hinges, shrapnel peppering the creamery walls as I stomped over.

The asphalt rumbled beneath my feet as I stalked closer, cracks spiderwebbing the cement as I drew near, piping wrenching itself from the earth like skeletal fingers, spearheads aimed at the goddess who was lovingly stroking Franks frozen cheek.

I couldn’t get the image of her shattering him into a thousand pieces out of my head, I wouldn’t let that happen. As I approached, she wrapped a delicate grip under his chin, my heart skipping a beat when there was a soft crack under her fist. She giggled when I didn’t move, trailing a finger down his chest and up his muscular, half bear arms. Her grip paused halfway down his bicep, tracing an icy patch of fur, looking me dead in the eyes as she gave it a tiny flick, a knuckle sized chunk sailing out of sight.

I saw red.

A stalagmite the size of a lamppost ripped from the cement beneath her feet, the girl giggling as she danced away, then charging with inhuman speed. I was ready though, the earth erupted in front of me, a black wave lifting and crashing down on her head.

Except it didn’t.

There was a terrible explosion of ice and snow, she was still racing towards me. Her hand was outstretched, she was grinning from ear to ear, leaping into the fray with reckless abandon. She regretted it though. The shattered wall was an asteroid field, she was fast but I was faster.

My will made real, the field constricted, a fist sized comet striking her cheek as it flew to my orbit, a buzz saw tornado of solid rock, bent steel, and shattered glass swimming around me. 

The goddess reached a shaky hand up to her cheek, eyes wide in disbelief when her fingers came back stained with red tinted gold. Her eyes met mine, unbridled and dark.

At least they were on me until I attacked, a monstrous fissure gaping open under her feet. She leapt away, off balance when I swung, twin spires springing from the asphalt threatening to impale her. Her tiny fist smashed the first to bits, ducking under the second, a wave of icicles the size of minivans careening out of orbit towards me.

Waves of cold and snow tried to throw me off balance, but my magic hummed, the spinning field around me practically invisible it was going so fast. I didn’t even bother with the icicles. It didn’t matter how much she threw, my shield ate them up, the frozen monoliths reduced to white flakes.

She was focusing hard, Sloth was dragging her down. Be a shame if someone broke that concentration. Turns out when a demigod telekinetically chucks a car at you, it’s a bit hard to concentrate. Go figure. I had to use my whole body, throwing myself around, the car I had been using as sanctuary mimicking my moves as it jerked through the air, smashing through the front of the creamery.

She spun away, her dance losing its rhythm when I didn’t let up, cement thorns tangling her feet, the ruined car a brutal mess as it crash-landed behind her. I missed her again, head spinning as I kept everything in motion, letting her go and setting my sights on her fluttering cape.

The ice goddess was jerked back when the sewer pipes ripped from the earth, impaling her thick cloak and dragging her back. The distraction didn’t last long; with a harsh jerk, she ripped it from her shoulders and leapt into the air. It was too late for her tough, I had the car practically on top of her, clawed hands of rock and steel were tearing out of the ground to rip her down.

I should have expected her to cheat. She let out another nuclear winter blast, the world going white and blinding me with ice and snow. I stumbled to the ground, shattering rock and metal dull in my ears as I tried to regain my senses.

This time I could feel her through my magic though. I felt each slap of her godly feet on the ground, and even flying blind, I brought the asteroid field back together. She was batting it away, I felt every crack as she shattered my defenses, coming closer and closer as I tightened the field, waiting.

My eyes started working again as she bent over me, plunging her hand through the flying shield. I twisted out of reach, the debris jerking to a stop, locking her arm in place as I leveled my hand at her, a finger gun aimed square in her face.

She went cross eyed when I splayed my fingers, unable to escape. A million chunks of frozen debris at this range was the equivalent of a shotgun missile to the face. The shattering sound was deafening as it hit, pale bits and pieces of the goddess spraying across the street.

I was gasping for air, sweating and swaying from overexertion. I’d never used that much magic before, the street looked like a bombing sight. But it was over, at least for now. Hopefully it would take her a while to reform like the rest of the monster, long enough for them to fix Leo.

I teetered over to Frank, feeling the cracks she had left, checking the void in his arm. It could have been worse. But he would live, and it was over. I kicked the frozen shards of her out of the way, trying not to give them too much though. At least there was no blood.

There was her face on the sidewalk just a few feet away, proof of my victory. She had shattered into a billion pieces, this had to be the biggest; her lips and the left part of a cheek. It would have been gruesome if it wasn’t so inhuman, if she hadn’t been a monster. If she hadn’t been smiling. Why was she smiling?

The fragment faced into powdered snow and I felt more than heard the icy presence right behind me. I had taken down a dummy, she had been waiting to wear me out. My sword ripped out of its scabbard, rocks were hovering to my call, I spun around, ready for another shot to her pretty little face- the girl booped my nose.

All at once I was on the ground, the heat ripped from my body. I felt crippled, a piece of ice burning in my soul, a reminder of something she had stolen, something I needed to keep myself upright now. I curled into myself, the cold inside my heart, threatening to overtake everything.

Through dulled senses I felt her stepping over me, returning to study Frank. I fought past the ice, clawing at the frozen ground with all my strength. My hands crunched deep into the cement, blurry eyes zeroing in on her as she toyed with my love.

She looked down upon me gloatingly, her hair moving in an invisible wind. She was stronger now, feeding off what she had stolen from me.

“ _You are very much like your brother. You have a well of untapped hatred, so much potential wasted on you. I was unable to take it all- your heart only uses so much. Your boy served his purpose. Without him I couldn’t have then this prize from you_.”

The goddess who would have been Wrath. A Bond of fire and ice, a greater scheme that trapped her in Sloth. Donnez-moi votre détester; Give me your hate. The pieces were all there, I just had to put them together.

“Why…”

She gave a dainty shrug, lifting me as though I were a lifeless doll, agony spreading from her touch as she spun me around, a festive dance that froze my senses.

“ _Nothing is colder than hate. I shall repair the damage done to me. I will be divine once more. And then your brother will be mine. The power that should have been mine will freeze Olympus to its core and those fools will fall before me. And then...”_ She giggled, letting me fall back to the ground in a heap.

Nico? Olympus… She would steal Leo’s hatred, I didn’t know how, but she would rip it from him, Frank’s too. I had seen this all in the Mist, I had seen everything. With her Bond broken and enough hate, enough Wrath, she would usurp Kampê claim Nico.

“Hate burns.” I whispered hoarsely, feeling the proof in my chest, already melting the icy void she had left in my chest. “You’ll fail.”

The goddess rolled her eyes, striking a petite pose as she regarded me wit feigned pity.

“ _Mortal hate burns. And fades. It is as pointless and short lived as the mortals who wield it. It consumes all that it can, then it’s gone. True hatred is different. It is precise, overwhelming. It consumes you as well, piece by piece. Only it doesn’t burn away and waste, it freezes you. It hardens you. True hatred leeches away, it feeds on others. True hatred is immortal. I wouldn’t expect you to understand, so few mortals did.”_

They came to mind faster than expected, the names on my blue lips realizations too soon. “Luke and Percy…”

 “ _Yes. I never had the honor of meeting the Titans Wrath, but I felt his presence when the boys fell from above. Kronos will be displeased when I steal his Wrath. I’ve never known a mortal with such torment_.” The goddess grinned ecstatically, snow swirling wildly around us. “ _Even your brother, for all his fury, pales in comparison. He does not know the hate Perseus wields. I will be unstoppable when I claim their rage. But what to do with this one now?_ ”

The pain was gone there was only horror as she tapped Frank, fractures following her featherlight touches. No. I wasn’t strong enough for this, I couldn’t fight her off. Please. Gods above, Olympians, Kronos, Percy, Nico, Luke, anybody! The moments dragged by, fractures were spreading down Franks oversized chest.

 ** _B_** _u **T** **NO** b **o** d **Y** C **Am** e_.

They were coming. They wouldn’t let me down. Which meant that they needed me. Frank needed me. I couldn’t fight, there wasn’t enough magic left in me to take her down alone. One more time then, one last humiliation…

“Please.” She hesitated as I forced myself to my knees, head hung low. “Don’t.”

Another few seconds went by before she laughed- she actually laughed, the harsh echo carrying down the street in every direction. She put her cold foot to my face, forcing me to meet her gaze, a cruel, ecstasy in her face, an icy aura surrounding her.

“ _Vas-y alors. Do what you mortals do best. Beg me for his life_.”

It hurt pride I didn’t have, but it was a price I had already paid long ago. Anything for Frank. Nobody to be left behind. This was the game I had to play.

“Please, don’t take him from us. Hurting him won’t give you what you want. You already have what you want, Luke and Percy are coming. You don’t need anything else.”

“ _And what if I need to crush this boy into powder?”_ She asked sweetly, an icy halo on her head as she shoved my head down into the ground. “ _What if I need to kill you so that I can claim my real prize?”_

There was a snap. The goddess had snapped off one of Frank’s bear claws, the fractured nail far to close to his actual finger for comfort. She closed her hand, an innocent smile on her face as she turned it to glittering nothingness.

“I’m begging you. Spare him. Please.”

I wasn’t here anymore, I was four years in the past, begging someone else to do the impossible, to resist an urge that couldn’t be helped. Nico was on the edge of town, I was holding onto his arm with all my might, begging him not to leave. He was running away- he always said he would, but this time it was for real.

I had cried back then. I was crying now, the fear was real, but my tears had frozen to my cheeks, they stung my skin mercilessly. Nico had refused to look at me, I had seen his crumbling resolve as I dragged him back, pulled him from the edge. This goddess was zeroed in on me, she watched me grovel, starting to go babble as she clipped off another nail, this one taking a strip off the top of his index finger.

“Stop! Gods please, they won’t hate you for this, they won’t give you what you want if you take him. I’m begging you, just let him go, they’ll come, you’ll have what you want, just please, don’t kill him, please don’t…”

Words died on my lips as I watched though, the quiet, calm voice in the back of my head taking command. There had been enough stalling, I could feel salvation on its way. The knowledge turned my begging sour, it made alien hate burn inside me. The ice goddess foot was off my head in an instant, giving me a wary look as I sat up, grinning ear to ear.

“You talk a big game.” I giggled, that quiet voice speaking for me as the goddess backed away, icicles forming in the air, fear thick on the wind. “Stealing hate, catching Frank and Leo. You even called out the Titan’s Wrath. And now you want to claim Nico. Beautiful plan, fantastic, I love it, can’t wait to see that train wreck in action. One question though, just a little something for you to kick around. You’re still bleeding from little old me. How much do you think you’ll bleed once **_P_** _eR **Cy** _ gets ahold of you?”

I felt drunk off hate that wasn’t mine, drowning in it, my gaze burning as I laughed in her face, my voice echoing with a whole chorus of invisible Hazel’s. The Mist answered the call I hadn’t given, a terrible reflection of my hero stalking into existence, advancing on the goddess. She swore in French, the icicles sailing harmlessly through the illusion- except it wasn’t an illusion. There were blurry, out of focus, but becoming more and more real, glitching into sight, a terrible presence projecting outwards, threatening to raze the world.

The girl tried another explosion of white, but a crude hand extended, her whole body seizing up, veins bulging as her own skin started freezing over. They advanced, power I wasn’t faking for the mirage cascading into reality, but a wave of shadow oozed over Frank and I in the blink of an eye, and the street was suddenly gone, the goddess and my abomination taken with it.

Magic that had been flooding my system seconds before was gone, I was floating in nothingness, blind to a world of darkness. None of my limbs would move at first, my insides felt raw and out of place. I couldn’t see Frank, there was no sign of him or anything, just blackness.

The shadows weren’t a bad thing. They felt safe and warm, they caressed my wounded soul and threaded around me like a thick blanket, cocooning me in darkness. There was no resisting as the need to sleep rolled over me, lids fluttering closed with a final, out of focus thought about Frank.

And then I drifted off, floating in the void.

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Cruel light brought me back to the world. I screwed my eyes shut, locking my head between my legs trying to block it out. My brain was swimming, somewhere between agonized and sleep deprived. A large, wet tongue licked the back of my neck, soft fur beneath me bulging as a body pushed me up.

I moaned, the sound so very strange in this place, panting loud in my ears. That light dimmed a bit, the brightness behind my eyelids just a warm glow now. I relaxed, limbs falling limply at my sides, the large tongue taking care to slobber lovingly up the side of my head now.

“Give her some space O’Leary.”

A dog whimpered-if that could be called a whimper. It came out as a deep rumble from the furry mass behind me, shaking me to the core as a great fluffy head nuzzled against me, a wet snout sniffing over my head.

The speaker gave a sigh, and I managed to open my eyes, peering around this place. It was a bit strange to take in. There was nothing but blackness, endless shadows stretching forever. A tiny star, nothing but a pinprick of light, shined on the ground a few feet away. If this could be called ground. It was spongy but rock hard, soft to the touch but inescapable.

I had always been able to see in the darkness, there was never a time I was night-blind even in the dreariest of basements or the blackest of Piper’s sets. But this was different. It was shadows, every inch of it. They called to me, hailed me as a friend, a daughter of Pluto. The Shadow Princess had finally arrived to join their Prince.

“Nico…” I murmured weakly, struggling to see him.

The light still hurt my eyes, and I think he realized that. A blurry figure waved their arm, the brightness extinguished in the blink of an eye, glorious darkness overtaking the world. He was squatting over something white, using the shadows to poke at it as he avoided my gaze.

It took a minute for me to wake up, my still dead limbs refusing to answer my call. The furry bed that supported me-Mrs. O’Leary, helped, shifting her chest so I could sit up, giving me another nuzzle, happily panting when I managed to stay upright. I put a hand in her fur, scratching a spot that earned me a happy pant while I tried to focus on my half-brother. It took me a long time to realize that the white mass he was working on was Frank, the shadows swelling over him in vain, trying to free him.

“You saved us.” It hurt to talk, my throat was scratched.

I had a sudden impression of myself laughing in the face of the ice goddess, those words that hadn’t been mine, those thoughts that hadn’t been my ideas. Someone was looking out for me, not just Nico. I was lucky they had been there at all.

Nico turned in our direction, hiding his expression in his overgrown mane of dark hair. There was guilt ridden in his eyes, the bags decorating his black orbs looking more and more permanent as the days dragged on. A new, fresh scar came down off his lip. It was poorly stitched, and his tongue darted out every once in a while to lick at it, only to wince away, biting the other corner in pain.

He gave a slow, single nod, poking at the shadowy ground with a pitch-black sword. “I’m sorry about your friend. If I had felt you sooner, I could have...”

“He was frozen before that, it’s not your fault. And he’s my boyfriend actually.”

“Oh.”

There were no awkward silences here in the void, although Nico and I were getting about as close as we could. The shadows whispered comforting thoughts while we stewed in our words waiting. A lot of things had been said last time we talked. Well, actually there hadn’t been a lot said, which had only made more problems. But what was said hurt, and both of us came out nursing wounds and bearing grudges.

I didn’t know what to say even though the need to comfort him was coursing strong. Stubbornness kept me aloof though, watching him and waiting.

Nico gave a little cough, digging his sword in a little as he spoke. “About last time; I’m sorry. I was… there’s no excuse for it. I was scared and angry and I took it out on you. I should have apologized sooner instead of running away. I was being stupid.”

I studied Nico for as he talked, watching the words carefully, reading each syllable with care. He kept his voice level, but there was a tremble there. He was angry at himself, the truth was in his eyes when he glanced up, looking for a response.

I let him off the hook, shaking my head. “We were both stupid Nico; nobody wanted to listen.”

The corner of his mouth twitched into a fast drooping grin when I offered him a smile, seeming to relax just a bit.

“You know what’s going on right? Wrath’s been inside your head; some freak named Kampê. They used our blood against us, and now they’re trying to use us against the gods.”

Nico swayed a little, a grim smile cracking his lips. “Yeah. The screaming dragon lady in my head gave that away. I figured out the rest on my own.”

Good news at last. With a little luck, Nico’s Bond would be dust in the wind and then only Jason would be left on the list. Not much longer now.

“You shouldn’t have got caught up in this.” Nico lamented, stabbing his sword into the shadows again. “I thought if I stayed away they’d leave you alone. I didn’t know they were after you too.”

I gave a snort. “I appreciate the effort, but a heads up would have been nice. It’s my world too you know, it would have been nice to know I wasn’t going crazy. Where are we?”

“Right off Arendelle Avenue. I wanted to hightail it out of there, but Frank can’t leave her domain while he’s like this.”

When I gave him a confused look, he pointed upwards. I followed his finger, staring up at the darkness. Shadows pulled away above us, sunlight creeping into this dark realm, giving us a view of Odyssey Cove’s sky, cloudy and cold above us. The angle was odd and misshapen though, the light skewed at strange angles. We were inside the shadows.

Magic just got better and better, as this another perk of being a child of the Underworld? This was our own little world, another dimension intersecting our own in the darkness. I reached up, but Mrs. O’Leary lifted a heavy paw, pushing my hand back down to the shadows. I understood without the need to explain; reaching too high meant light, and if I was in the light, then I couldn’t be in the shadows.

“When you know about our world, they know about you.” Nico explained, the shadows swarming back into place as my attention turned. “I thought you’d be safer. Boy was I wrong. O’Leary and I rescued you once. Too late though. You ran off to go gambling and Midas had you locked down. I was trying to find a way to save you. I didn’t…”

I didn’t abandon you. The words were clear. He still should have told me, and while Wrath wasn’t helping, he still should have tried to talk things out. But he was trying.

“Everything worked out in the end. Now I’m saving everyone else. We can break your Bond and get you away from that freak. We can do it together.”

Hope stirred in his eyes for the first time in years, an innocent glow that I had never seen from him.

“Together.” He echoed happily. “How do we do it?”

Here’s where things got delicate. The sins needed to be unbalanced, the Bonds shifted so they would snap. The fear of what I lost had freed me, Piper had been scared straight, Frank stuck with the intense save-your-friends-from-skeletons workout routine, and Annabeth had, well… I wasn’t really sure what Percy and Annabeth had done for her, and I didn’t know how they were fixing Leo. But I still saw the pattern, I saw the confrontations.

“The problem is Wrath- Kampê is feeding off your anger. All we need to do is cut her off and then you can break your Bond. It’s harder than it sounds, we were rescuing Leo to start when, well, you know.”

Nico nodded gravely when I pointed towards Frank. I let myself trial off, mind racing for ideas as I crawled over to Frank, gauging the damage the goddess had inflicted. Honestly, I already had the solution, but it was the conclusion that worried me. Nico was angry at Percy, and the only way that they were going to move past that was to collide.

 And after my vision this morning, I wasn’t sure how that collision was going to end. There had to be a way though, some way for them to work it out. Granted I was biased, especially now. I couldn’t get Percy out of my head, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that he and Nico were two sides of the same coin, two pieces of a greater whole. Coming together meant they could fix each other.

“Yeah. I was afraid this might happen. He ruins everything. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner, but now you don’t have to go back, we can get the others and stop him.”

I bristled internally, the voice in my head whispering again. Pushing it away was harder, their words were muddling mine as I responded.

“This wasn’t his fault, I messed up. We were reckless.”

Nico frowned, ebony locks shaking when he shook his head. “It’s not your fault Hazel, you never should have been out here on your own, especially against Khione.”

Percy didn’t even know we were out here. Well, he did now, but that was because I had a popsicle for a boyfriend and a frostbitten Roman delivering out of battery Leo’s to his door. This was on me, I hadn’t even let Luke’s presence back me down from a stupid decision.

“He’s bad news.” Nico explained, knuckles white as he clutched his sword in a death grip, a glare forming as the shadows writhed. “All he ever does is hurt people.”

All right, so we were making progress here. He hadn’t been able to bring Percy up without screaming before, and he was hinting at why our hero was dangerous rather than just throwing a temper tantrum.

I gave a melancholy chuckle, bracing myself for the storm I knew was coming as I said “All he’s ever done is save me. Save _us_.”

The emphasis on us made his eyes narrow, giving me an uncertain expression as his shields oozed back into place. I leapt back in, trying to avoid giving him a foothold for this argument.

“From the moment Percy crash-landed here, he’s done nothing but hero work Nico. He saved me, and Piper, and Frank. And he’s saving Leo now too. He can help save you, and then we can stop Kronos together. I know that he’s made mistakes, they both have-”

Nico had been biting his tongue, but that all too familiar fury was flaring up as he jumped in, voice calm and controlled yet dying inside. “Genocide is a pretty big mistake wouldn’t you say Hazel? He’s a monster, what he did at Westover- what he did as the Titans Wrath… I know how… charming he can be. Except it’s all a lie. He gets inside your head and your dreams, its Stockholm syndrome Hazel.”

It was a struggle not to roll my eyes and stay serious when he put it like that, but I tried to keep a soothing tone and explain, playing to his tone as I nodded. “I know what he’s done Nico, Percy told us everything. But we’re not prisoners. He’s the one who saved us, he-”

“Whatever he told you was lie, he twists the truth so you’ll trust him. Besides, all he’s done is save you from the mess he started. All this is his fault Hazel. Those magical contracts, the Bonds you were talking about, the monsters taking over the town- they all started with him. It’s all his fault. We have to kill him to finish Kronos, the only way we’ll ever be safe is when he’s dead.”

Wait what? What did he mean by-I blinked, the last few seconds of conversation suddenly erased from my mind, the voice telling me to ignore it and focus on Nico. That voice was feeding me words, words I was eager to say now.

“I know he hurt you Nico, but killing him won’t bring Bianca back.”

Nico went stiff, eyes black as coals as he stared across at me, the shadows writhing as he drew his legs up to his chest, protecting himself.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about Hazel.” He warned, voice brittle and hurt.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms and glaring at the boy. He was wrong, I finally saw through him. I knew Nico, inside and out, even the parts of he was hiding from himself. It had taken a while of being awake to finally realize how much sympathy I had wasted, trying and crying for a boy who would waste everything for a crack at revenge.

He was on a crusade to kill Percy; for revenge, for peace, but worst of all, for a way to hide from himself. Whatever reason he was feeding me now was another excuse, a way of avoiding the problem. He had spent years blaming Percy for everything, this was the only option for him. Eventually, he would open his eyes, but I didn’t have the luxury of waiting. Our planet was on the line and we couldn’t wait for Nico to sort out where Percy stood to him anymore.

“Don’t I?” I challenged, my own angry shadows tangling with his, binding them. “He already died Nico, he sacrificed himself so that he could have a chance to make things better. I felt it, his soul died years ago so that he could be here to save us. So that he could save you.”

Black roots escaped my clutches, shadowy vines erupting from the darkness, rippling forever. The blackness beneath me swallowed Frank at my call, hiding him from our chat as Mrs. O’Leary huffed, abandoning me to pad over to Nico, nuzzling up against him.

He failed to push her away, disdain contorting his features as he gave me a betrayed growl. “Save me? He murdered everyone I ever cared about Hazel, he killed Bianca!”

“Medusa killed Bianca.” I corrected. “And Percy warned you to not look back.”

“Shut up!” He snapped, paling when he realized he had snapped at me.

Nico took a long, deep breath, hand blindly gasping for Mrs. O’Leary’s fur, letting himself relax as he roughly stroked her dark curls. Not that she minded, that pace probably felt good to her judging by the happy panting on her face as she rubbed against Nico.

I waited until Nico had composed himself, leveling a regretful glare, still tinted with hurt and malice. “You don’t understand Hazel. He’s lying to you, and if any of us want to live then he has to-”

“Say his name.”

Nico blinked at my order, taken aback. I crossed my arms again, willing to wait forever. The voice in my head had all the patience in the world, and it knew how this all ended. This was just a matter of time.

Nico took a deep breath, breath catching as he continued. “Percy has to die for this to end.”

I wasn’t sure if he could feel the misery scarred into his face when he half whispered those words. For all his rage and fury, those were not words he wanted to say.

“Percy is going to live, and you need him so you can move on. Stop being afraid, you know what you want. Tell me the truth, tell me why he needs to be stopped.”

“Are you not listening?” Nico gave a hysterical laugh, running a hand through his rugged mane. “He- Percy has to die for us to beat Kronos. What else do you need me to say?”

“The only way we can beat Kronos is if you admit why you really want him dead.”

Nico spun around, groan-shouting into Mrs. O’Leary’s fur, darkness rippling off him in waves.

“Hazel! He is going to destroy us! Percy killed everyone, he took everything. I want him dead so we can be safe and finally end this. Because he’s stole you from me Hazel, and now he’s turning you against me! Use your head, you know I’m right.”

He was struggling to keep his head. Nico had always been the diplomat. Yes he had a fuse, but he handled things carefully and thoroughly, he tried to think things through. With Wrath riding in the backseat of his mind, it was no wonder he was so confused now.

“I got kidnapped by monsters and the boy who risked his life to save me seemed like a better choice than the boy hiding out in his garbage fort. No one stole me from you Nico, and no one was stopping you from coming back.”

The shadows were exploding with the rage he was trying to bottle up, our fragile darkness was shaking as the light started streaming in.

“Do you even hear yourself? I couldn’t come back, I can’t be near him after what he’s done to me Hazel.”

“Why? Because you might realize he’s still your hero? Because you know he’s changing and you can’t stay made at him? Because-”

“Because revenge is all I haven’t lost. He’s taken everything I ever loved!” Nico screamed, dark leviathans creeping up to meet his rage. “Because I don’t want to lose you like I lost Bianca, and I hate him”

The air was stale at his confession, the overworlds light was turning bright, we were far too close to the surface to stay hidden in the shadows.

 “I hate that he thinks he can save me! Is this what you want to hear? I hate that he needs me, that he wants me to save him! I hate that I want to save him, I hate that he’s my hero and that he needs to die! I hate that I- that I…”

He was breathless, shoulders heaving as he faded off, wide eyes fixed on me. Nico spun around, fingers latching onto Mrs. O’Leary’s thick hide, the two of them sinking into the blackness in a fraction of a second. I watched after him, biting my lip, the voice in my head dissatisfied.

No matter. Our ally on the other side had planted the seeds in the son of Hades, and by that breakout they were growing just fine. His knowledge of Percy’s true condition was worrying however… The voice went quiet, its presence and ideas vanishing from my head with it, leaving me suddenly exhausted. The shadows oozed lower and lower around Frank and I, the world blinking into clarity as we emerged from the darkness.

After that fun exchange with Nico, I was happy to just lay on the sidewalk with Frank, staring up at the cloudy sky in exhaustion. I couldn’t remember most of what he had said, or why I had said what I did. But I did know it was for the best. There as room to think again, and even if I was drained to the bone, at least I had made a start.

There was the gentle purr of an exotic engine, and I looked up, a gold convertible gliding up to the pavement beside me. A familiar blonde head rolled down reflective windows, Luke peering down his sunglasses, taking in the sight of us.

“You look like hell. And that’s saying something for a daughter of Pluto.”

I wasn’t sure if I hated or loved Luke in that moment. Either way, I laughed, happy to let him carry me and into the passenger seat. He had a rough time with Frank. After carefully measuring him, he put the roof down, grimacing as he shimmied Frank’s frozen form into the backseats, wincing when his claws scratched at the paint.

“Don’t worry Miriam, daddy’s gonna get steal you manticore leather seats when this is all over.” He promised, patting the wet leather, and letting his fingers trace over the paint, gold creeping along at slug speed behind him. Miriam- gods had it only been a few days since he had named Mr. Midas’ stolen car, but it felt like a lifetime.

Luke hopped back in, the roof sliding back into place as he locked the doors, turning up the thermostat and getting comfy, steering just outside the avenue. Franks frozen form protested when we got to close to the border, slicing through the seat coverings and crunching through the sides before Luke finally pulled to a stop, putting the car in park.

He put the sunglasses away, rubbing his eyes tiredly and giving me the stink eye as I lounged back, barely able to keep my head up. “Alright, so that whole ‘we’re all gonna die speech’ meant for you to do the honorable thing and go out quick. No fuss, no big deal, we move on. Now you got Annabeth and Percy all riled up on me because I was ‘irresponsible’ and ‘nihilistically endangering the mission.’ Long story short, breakfast in bed better be a three-course meal tomorrow.”

I snorted, weakly waving him away, before my smile faded, turning to Frank.

“I’m sorry. We messed up big time.”

Luke barked a laugh, giving a ‘duh’ nod. “You got that right. Don’t sweat it though kid, we all royally screw up eventually. Besides You got the weird kid, so it’s fine.”

So Jason had got home safe and sound. I let out a sigh of relief I hadn’t realized I was holding in all this time, waiting for the Calvary to come charging in.

“They broke his bond?”

“Dunno, Annabeth politely told me to screw off and keep you safe since I started this mess.” At my disheartened face he rolled his eyes, giving me a confident smile. “The kid was actually talking when I left, spitting out nasty puns. They’ll have him sorted out in no time and then we can defrost brother bear back there.”

Everything was going to be okay. We were all on the case, everything was going to be fine. Luke turned the radio to some oldie station, playing with the golden dials, bobbing his head to the song. He seemed different now than he had earlier.

After a few tracks had gone by, he cleared his throat, fidgeting with his sunglasses as he said “Listen, I know I’m hard on you guys, but you don’t have anything to prove. You guys get in the way, you have no idea what you’re doing, and you’re going to get yourselves killed. But you’re here for a reason, and if you can’t protect yourselves, that’s on us.”

I had everything to prove. I was the girl born with nothing who struck it rich in a curse and came out knowing she was the daughter of a goddess. There was a whole mythological universe that had high expectations from me. I couldn’t go back to being normal, to wasting away like my mom had.

“I know the feeling.”

Fresh humiliation, different from the humiliating hate that had filled me when I was begging the goddess to spare Frank, sent the color to my cheeks when I realized I had said all that out loud.

Luke didn’t seem to be judging though- who the hell was I kidding, he was always judging. Now he seemed to be judging a little less at least.

“My dad seduced my mom because she had a gift. She was a mortal who could see through the Mist. She got messed up trying to be perfect for him though. And she messed me up. Hermes wasn’t around to help raise me, it was just her. And after what he did to her… she went off the deep end.”

That sounded familiar. Mama had never been the exactly stable, but before she had me she at least had her life together. Once I was born, she was cursed, wild.

“I don’t know what you went through, but trust me Haze; you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone. You don’t owe anyone anything.” 

He offered me a sad smile, and against the odds, I smiled back, reaching over to give his hand a squeeze.

“I still want to be a hero.” I murmured sleepily.

Luke grimaced, shaking his head. “Not worth it, too much work. Leads to an early grave, just look at me and Percy. Another couple of days and we’ll be punching out.”

“But you’ll still be heroes.” I pointed out. “And I still say you can get out.”

Luke rolled his eyes, and I realized that this was what was different. He had been thinking about my offer, the idea had been gnawing at him. That was the shift in attitude, he was poisoned with hope, with the idea of escaping. Anyone would take a chance to change their fate.

“Hazel-”

I cut him off, the words already in my head. “We’re getting stronger. I mean, sure I got served by that ice witch, but I got in a few hits, and you just started teaching me. Our side will win; good always wins. And when Kronos falls, the gods are going to celebrate, you’ll have a chance to get out. We’ll give you a window, then you can get out for good.”

Luke huffed angrily, biting at the hope that was agonizing his system. “You don’t get it Hazel, the gods won’t let us go, there’s no getting out of these little buzzers. Once the trial ends, we get zapped back to Olympus, and if one of us isn’t dead, we’ll fight to for our chance to survive. We’re dying to live Hazel, there is nothing we won’t do when the time comes to win this.”

He was set in his path, there was nothing else I could say to help. The seed was there though, all I needed was to wait. Where had I heard that thought before? Strange, so much was going on in my brain, so much of it out of control.

He was singing along to Pumped Up Kicks as I frowned at him, starting to remember hate that wasn’t mine. The kinship that Luke had sparked, that tender friendship was spoiling in my mind, the voice was waking back up, raring to go, because it was time.

As if on cue, Luke forced an upbeat smile, pointing down the street where a figure was approaching. Our lead actor was taking the stage. The voice pushed me to the background, easing the controls from my fingers and pumping me full of revitalizing magic.

It was **_S_** _h **O** Wti **M** e_, and boy did we have a performance for **_P_** _e **Rc** Y_ tonight. It was about time we ended this rehearsal and fixed up our **_He_** _R **O**_ for the **_M_** _a **I** N E **Ve** n **T**_.

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**Another week, another chapter! Hope this is making up for my hiatus, there’s so much story to catch up on. I know, I know, you have a ton of questions, but A) hit me up, I love to talk about this stuff and B) just roll with it, because the next chapter’s going to be a real doozy. Anyways, thank you all again, and I hope you have a fantastic week, see you soon! Have a wonderful morning/day/night, later dudes!**


	30. Dead Silence

**Disclaimer, Santa didn't bring me the rights to Percy Jackson this year!**

* * *

**Dead Silence**

Nico POV

 **Location** -Blue Lodge Foster Home, Brooklyn

 **4** Years Ago…

Smooth cement seethed with shadows, dark runes churning in the dim basement light. Brand new candles Lou Ellen had enchanted only this morning were little more than messes of wax, eaten up by the darkness I was channeling. My throat felt dry and scratchy, I was going hoarse from this constant chanting.

Using this much shadow magic wasn't exactly healthy, Will was going to chew me out in the morning. Five straight nights of attempted conjuring were starting to leave tells. My summer tan was fading fast, the pale color only exaggerating the dark shadows that had taken root under my eyes.

Tomorrow Will would put his foot down and guilt trip Lou Ellen into one of his 'Nico is being irresponsible' campaigns to keep me safe. Having a family who cared that much about me was actually really touching, but right now as I stuttered over arcane scripts, palming the sleep out of my eyes, it was more along the lines of really annoying.

Tonight was the do or die moment. Either the charm would work, or… Or I would have to go behind their backs and finish the ritual. A city like this was crawling with back alley witches and warlocks who could set me up, and when you knew how to teleport, location wasn't exactly a big issue.

Would I feel bad lying to them, promising to swear off shadow magic and conjuring's until Will's oversized heart was satisfied? Hell yes. Were they going to kill me when they found out? Definitely. There wasn't a choice here though. This dead man walking had a job to finish, I couldn't let anything stop me.

Happily ever after was on the line here.

Tiny flames around the room went out, extinguished in their own wax as my alarm went off. Time's up. I'm pretty sure my throat was weeping for joy as the chanting ground to a halt, the final words teetering dully off my tongue as I panted.

Another failed ritual. Runes and sigils carved from the darkness itself vanished with a flick of my wrist, shadows licking up the ruined candles and spiriting them off into the nothingness. Without my magic staining it, the basement grew brighter, half dead bulbs buzzing back to life. Tall stacks of boxes that had been shoved against the walls shuffled in-between flicker brightness, returning the basement maze to its original, messy glory.

Without chants and inky whispers, the basement felt too quiet, eerie even. Even tombs felt cozier than this, at least their occupants were kind enough to chat you up and babble on about their life stories. After the conjuring, it felt unsettling. Sadly, it wasn't the 'what have you brought home with you' creepy sort of unsettling. It was the disappointing, anxiety inducing type of unsettling that coiled and twisted your insides, leaving you shaky and out of breath.

Six nights now. Six miserable defeats gloating as they danced away in the midnight sky. Practice kept the disappointment from sinking in too deep. Besides, this was hardly the first setback in my plan, we hit snags all the time. Still…

This was important. This ritual was the last loose end that needed to be snipped, after that the dominos would start tumbling down and my future would be set in stone. My friends had been able help me with the other tasks. Maybe that was the difference here. I couldn't let them help me with this, it was personal. If I didn't finish the ritual there would be no way to save Percy in the future, and like hell was my future boyfriend going to kick the dust. I swear if I had to run down into Tartarus to go ghostbusters on him again…

Oh crap, date night! I was gonna be late, I already screwed up the last few nights. I tripped over a stack of empty Christmas decoration boxes, pushing them back into place and giving a snap, the lights blinking out, only for my bedroom lights to twinkle back into existence around me. Tearing off my shoes, I hopped quietly to the bed, yanking on some pajamas and tossing my clothes over my shoulder, not caring where they would land.

A shadow clone was resting peacefully under my covers, the perfect decoy for any foster parent that poked their head in. I banished it, teeth chattering when I plunged under the icy covers, holding back a curse.

Funny thing about sleep, the harder you want it, the tougher it is to get it. Sleep mocked me, spinning just out of reach as the bed gradually warmed beneath me, my face sinking into the pillows as I curled into myself, trying not to think.

It didn't work.

The ritual kept nagging at me, a guilty reminder in the back of my mind. When I woke up, I would be lying to my best friends, going behind their backs to finish this. They would understand in the end, I would explain just how important this was. Hell or highwater, this had to be done, and I couldn't wait for Will's clean bill of health to keep me going. I was willing to pay the price of a few side effects if it meant that this would all be over.

Reluctantly opening my eyes, I poked my head back up, reaching into my bedside table. My hand phased into the shadows, reaching into the void and returning with my journal. Sea green binding greeted my sight, the material warm and familiar as I pulled it close to my chest. I blindly traced the pattern on the cover, an ornate trident wreathed in bones and skulls, feeling calm.

Whatever happened tomorrow would happen. Right now was about me and my Sea Doofus, the world could give me that. Probably. If I ever got to sleep. Stupid shadow magic. Death didn't do this to you, death magic rattled in your bones and sent you soul plunging into the Styx itself. For a son of Hades, that was a cakewalk, it was the shadows that were the problem.

Death was patient, it knew when you would join the club and leave the land of the living, and because of that, death listened and obeyed. The shadows though… they wanted you. Even without magic the darkness sunk its claws in every world, desperate to find a place. Dark magic wanted you now, and the more you used, the more it took.

Usually I had it under control. However, a full hour of channeling pure, unadulterated darkness like a geyser was enough to do some real damage, especially night after night. I didn't want to think too much about that. Even when I did go behind Will's back tomorrow, I would only have another four or five nights max before I had to call it off.

"Well hey there drop  _dead_  gorgeous. Come here often?"

Even with that terrible pun there was no use holding back the grin that split over my face when I opened my eyes. The Shoebox 3.0 was bright today, sunlight pouring in through the kitchen windows, showing off a breathtaking view of Camp Half Blood. I was sprawled across the couch, facing the TV-still broken judging by all the dust on the console. Figures Leo would never get around to fixing it, he was always preoccupied with Calypso and Jason.

The face of an angel was smirking down at me, Percy leaning over the couch as he waited for me to wake up. I took my time, slowly sitting up, taking time to just enjoy the moment. It felt good to be home again.

"Only to scope for handsome sea devils." I shrugged, giving a coy grin. "Seen any around here Sea Doofus?"

Percy clapped a scarred hand over his heart, reeling back and spinning. "Oh, that's cold! The pain, the agony! Rejection by the boy of my dreams! Whatever will I-"

I snuck up on my knees while he was turned away, slinking to the top of the couch and grabbing twin fistfuls of his shirt as he came back around, crashing our lips together. Percy didn't waste time, smirking into the kiss as his arms entwined around my frame, tangling his fingers in my hair while we played tonsil hockey.

"That hot enough for you?" I purred teasingly when we finally broke apart, staying inches away from those perfect lips, bumping our noses together lovingly.

Percy nodded once, then paused, and shook his head, his touch sending tingles wherever he landed. "Definitely need a double dose. Maybe three. Or four. Why not an overdose, death by Neeks?"

"Don't tempt me." I teased, yelping when Percy's hand found my side, poking a ticklish spot.

The attack was brutal and uncalled for, and I went down hard, clutching my sides protectively. Not that it mattered, he followed me down to the cushions, pressing all the right places to have me spazzing out, breathless from laughter.

I vanished into the darkness, tackling him from his own shadow and rolling us to the floor, pinning his hands above his head and straddling his chest so he couldn't pull any tricks. Percy played along, although I knew if he wanted I'd be the one on my back in an instant.

Proving the point, Percy blurred, sweeping me off him and holding me to his chest as he marched over to the kitchen, booping my nose as he set me down on the countertop. Gods it was good to be home. Reality had nothing on these dreams, on my future. Waiting for this all to be real killed me.

"You're late." Percy scolded, sliding a plate of blue French toast my way. "By the by, you look adorable in black and blue, but this is getting ridiculous."

A quick check in the mirror confirmed that I had carried over my haggard appearance into our hideaway. Damn shadows had taken their toll. My eyes were bruise stained, contrasting the deepened pallor, and my cheeks were starting to look a bit hollow. Percy wasn't allowed to know about this either. Not because I didn't trust him-I trusted this boy with my life and death- but because if he figured it out, I'm positive he would destroy the time space continuum to stop me.

It hurt to lie, so I didn't. "What can I say Perce, I'm a son of death. Gotta party hard, die hard."

Percy raised an unimpressed brow, crossing his arms while I busied myself with breakfast. Have I mentioned that Percy is a crazy good chef? When it comes to breakfast and sweets at least. Other than that he's a total disaster. Somehow, I knew if we weren't dreaming that this kitchen would be a disaster zone of demigod proportions. If you could survive suffering through the eons of his sleeping in till noon routine, he could blow you away with his goodies. Or his kisses. It was good to wake up to those too.

"This coming from the boy who I begged to come clubbing, only to drag me off the dance floor because you wanted a nap?"

I stuck out my tongue, savoring that first bite of French toast. "Boyfriends run on mandatory naps and cuddles, it's not my fault you didn't charge me up before we left."

His stern glare softened, and I knew I was off the hook. "Well when you say it like that..."

The taller boy dragged a stool over, pulling me off the counter and into his lap as I scarfed, nuzzling into his touch, tangling our legs together in a puzzle neither of us wanted to solve. The two of us stayed like that for the longest time, Percy stealing bites of blue toast every once in a while as he planted a trail of kisses and phantom hickeys up my neck.

Tonight, or this morning-whenever we were- was all about catching up. Our last few dreams had been touch and go between missions. That was the big problem with time distant relationships, we were always a day away. Well, more than a day. This Percy already had his Nico, while my Percy was still locked away in the clouds, awaiting his Moirai Trial.

Honestly, some days I wished Kronos would just invade already. After I moved to Odyssey Cove everything would fall into place; the Gods would freak out, the Fates would call their champion, and Percy could finally blow that popsicle stand.

Then we could finally meet. Well, in person. Our relationship status was complicated. My Percy and I had only met for a few minutes almost two years ago, the night he was forced to end Westover Hall. For a while I blamed him for everything, I ran away, I was scared.

But then the dreams started. I saw his past, saw what happened, how Kronos turned him into a monster. And I saw us. I saw our happy ending. In dreams, I could chat Percy anytime. Sure, there was a lot to work through, but I wasn't the only one having dreams. I had been haunting (Oh gods was that a pun? Crap, I can't let Percy find out…) his dreams since the day he lost his mom, helping keep him on track and safe. At least, the future version of me had, the Nico I was working to improve now.

As I said, relationship status: complicated.

Being in his arms didn't feel so complicated though, and I couldn't wait to finally get the chance to introduce myself again in person. I had already seen the day, I knew how everything was going to play out and what we needed to do. And cheesy as it was-I blamed Percy entirely for this- I couldn't wait to fall for my hero again, for real this time.

"So, how's the paper trail going?" Percy hummed, stealing a quick lick of powdered sugar off my fingers.

I shrugged, stabbing the last chunk of gooey toast, humming back, "It's going. Tricking a genius into investigating a lead while they think they found it all on their own without following it back to you sucks. Especially planning the whole thing in advance."

Percy gave an understanding nod, trying to fight me for the last bite before I chomped in triumphantly. "No kidding. I know you can do it though, Annabeth got me all the intel we need. Your Wise Girl should pick up the pieces in time to make it to the party."

She would. I had gleamed that much from the dreams too. Orchestrating a whole team of demigods from the past to the future was no easy challenge, but that was the weight on our shoulders. Percy and I were working 24/7 for our happy ending. All the mistakes we would make, all the lives that could be lost- we were going to erase that.

When that fateful day dawned, and Percy dropped from the heavens, I'd be waiting with spoilers for years, ready for every eventuality. Kronos, Gaea, the Giants, Apophis, Fenrir- I was ready.

I leaned back, stealing a quick, sticky kiss as I checked off the list of victories over the last few months.

"I went total Inception on Jason thanks to Clovis, he'll show up in no time. Spent a few bucks to keep Hazel's mom in town, funded their new emergency bunkers for the mortals to hide in when Envy wrecks the place… Let's see… Oh, and Alecto got the deal to go through; we officially own the land for Camp Half Blood, so we never have to worry about those stupid Triumvirate lawyers again."

"Thank gods!" Percy looked about ready to cry for joy.

The Triumvirate had been a real pain to the future demigods. The Roman puppet masters couldn't take us head on, but they knew how to tie us up in court, and for some psycho reason their gods played along. I blamed Octavian. Ten to one he was a traitor, I hadn't seen it anywhere in my visions, but the kid just screamed backstabber. Ugh.

"You've been awfully busy lately, you could really use a vacation."

A vacation sounded nice. Gods knew we both needed one after all the stunts we went through. Exciting as Camp Half Blood was, it'd be nice to go explore New Rome again, have a picnic on the aqueducts. Or maybe the beach, Percy had promised to teach me how to surf!

As if reading my mind, Percy clarified "A real vacation. In the real world. With you friends."

I frowned at him, untangling our legs enough to kick his shin. His yelp made more than enough point for me and he knew it. Pain was real, and if he was feeling it…

"That doesn't count." Percy countered, lifting me up and setting me back on the counter, his arms planted on either side of me on the counter, invading my personal space-not that I minded one bit. "You need to go take a break. Be a tween, go have fun with everybody before I come steal you. Maybe then they won't always be whining that I never share you when we hang out."

Who wanted to be shared when you have a Percy?

"You're a total Sea Doofus." I muttered, trying to go in for a kiss, only for Percy to turn away, making me miss my mark.

He gave an unapologetic shrug when I frowned, entwining my arms around his neck and trying to go in for another. I growled when he managed to dodge me again, glaring daggers up at the boy, who was annoyingly, charmingly, still somehow taller than me, even up here on the countertop.

"You're adorable when you're angry. Like one of those angry kittens." Percy teased, bumping our foreheads affectionately.

This angry kitten was not amused by the analogy. "Shut up and kiss me."

Percy mulled the idea over, leaning in tantalizingly close before that mischievous spark lit up in those sea green orbs and he pulled away, offering, "Only if you promise to take a break."

I groaned, grimacing up at my hero with a deepest frown. Who needed a break? I didn't need a break. Sure I was a little tired and the shadow magic was killing me, and I really should be using more death magic to balance things out, but when I was doing a conjuring and balancing that all with court issues and Alecto, and…

"Fine." I sighed reluctantly, leaning up, almost toppling off the counter as I tried to claim those lips. Damn him for being such a good kisser, this better be one hell of a make out session.

Percy pulled away again, chuckling when I growled, trying to use my grip around his neck to pull myself up to him since I couldn't drag him down to my level. He shook his head, somehow escaping my grasp and trapping my hands on the counter beneath his, grinning smugly at his poor unfortunate hostage.

"Swear on Styx. I want you to be happy Neeks."

There was no use arguing with those baby seal eyes. Future Nico had sadly informed me there was no defense against those terrible weapons of mass adorableness. Might as well throw in the towel now and score my boyfriend.

"I swear on Styx." I promised, only a little annoyed that I couldn't cross my fingers while he was holding my hand.

Percy grinned that stupid, dopey grin of his that had skeletal butterflies fluttering in my belly, finally leaning in.

"Wake up already!"

The world was suddenly black-the kind of black you instinctively know to be the inside of your eyelids. I refused to let go of that blackness though, instead feeling the rage boiling up inside me. Percy had managed to break my swearing habit early, but if there was an ever a time…

When I opened my eyes, the tanned dreamboat was nowhere in sight, and even worse the Shoebox 3.0 had been replaced with my drab bedroom. The golden-haired culprit behind this tragedy was looming over me, hands on their hips-hips hidden beneath the ugliest oversized Christmas sweater you'd ever seen.

"It's almost noon death breath, get your butt out of bed." Will snagged my blanket, prying the fabric off me with a flourish.

I flopped uselessly against my bed, glaring half lidded up at my grey ceiling, my journal still held tightly in my arms. Of all the no good, dirty rotten! The git was probably conspiring with my boyfriend across time-space to do this to me.

Will flashed the light off and on off until my glare snapped to it, the bulb giving a pop as it died, leaving the room in welcoming darkness. My best friend wasn't having any of that, he had already hopped over to the windows, throwing open the blinds.

Turning my sleepy glower at him only earned me a smile overloading with cheer and positivity "Rise and shine Neeks! Get dressed and come on down, we're going to go adventuring!"

With that, he skipped out of the room, not even bother to look back as he ducked under the wadded-up sock I chucked at his head. Well, this was a day. The morning sunshine, oh so different from the warm light that had been kissing my skin only a minute ago, was pouring in, the dawn of a new day. Another day of waiting.

I pulled the door shut from across the room, holding back a groan as I sat up. My limbs felt heavy and awkward, and I had to pop my knuckles a couple of time to get my fingers working. Without the dream to bamboozle my senses, my throat burned and ached. Damn ritual, all this hassle for nothing.

Speaking of which though… I set my journal down, pulling a pen from the void and started gently flipping through the hundreds of pages. This was our meal ticket to the future; dates, locations, game plans, stats, weaknesses, contacts- it was all right here.

Two years' worth of scrying the mayhaps of tomorrow had given us a roadmap for at least the next decade, maybe more. By the time Kronos struck, our side would already have blow by blow spoilers for the century. Probably. Seeing more than a few years ahead already made things fuzzy, most of my intel relied on Annabeth's temporal variance algorithms and the visions that raced through my dreams.

There wasn't much to add to it this morning. My usual morning routine had me scrawling every little note and experience the future had to offer, but all I had to report was another failed ritual and a postponed make out session.

I banished the book back into the void, giving an aching stretch before I tugged on some fresh clothes. I pulled on my aviator jacket from the floor where I had haphazardly thrown it the night before, searching sullenly for my chucks.

By the time I had everything together, Will was already stomping back up the stairs, barging in without a second thought.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I said defensively before he could open his mouth.

He gave an approving nod as I walked over, ambushing me with a twirl, spinning me as he hung a tasteless Christmas Tree scarf around my shoulders. It was so terrible it was honestly kind of glorious, although it still didn't compare to the disaster that was his sweater. There were so many bobbles and Christmas lights hanging off it that I didn't even know where to start.

Once satisfied, Will used it as a leash, dragging me along as he stomped back down the stairs. "Cheer up Nico, we gotta be festive, it's almost Christmas! Tis the season!"

"To look like Santa's workshop barfed all over us?"

Will took my snark in a stride. "Oh hush. Lou and Cecil are already waiting for us. We wanted to catch the train, but somebody had to take forever playing sleeping beauty."

"I can shadow travel us wherever you're kidnapping me to in about five seconds." The older boy shot me a sharp look and I raised my hands in surrender. "Or not, who needs shadow magic."

Will's smile returned, but I knew that wasn't even a taste of what was coming. Out on the street with no chance of running away, where Will had a strangle hold on my neck with this freakishly grotesque scarf was the perfect place to start my intervention.

Lou Ellen and Cecil were waiting by the front door, Cecil bouncing on the balls of his feet as we hopped over.

"Come on!" He whined, throwing open the door and marching out into the cold wind outside. "If we don't get moving everybody's gonna take all the good stuff!"

Lou Ellen nodded gravely, stalking after him with the two of us in tow. The city had escaped blanket after blanket of snow-the white flakes fell from the sky all the time, but all that was left was damp pavement that froze into treacherous sheets of thin ice. I almost envied Will's abominable outer wear.

We got to the end of the block, waiting as the cars zoomed by before skedaddling across, eager to get away from the traffic. There was a bus stop just up ahead, that would take us to wherever it was that we were going. My friends were prone to these random adventure moods, and I tagged along purely to keep them out of trouble. The outrageous fun and weirdness was usually just a fortunate bonus.

Will's grip went iron hard as he tugged me up on the pavement, a garbage truck whizzing by so close I could have kissed it. Back to the kissing again. It wasn't my fault, Percy was the sea doofus who teased me and left me hanging.

"Get your head out of the clouds, it's adventure time! Rule number one for adventurers; don't get run over." Will informed me, abandoning his grip on my scarf to hold my hand, walking stride for stride with me.

"I hope I get run over." I muttered under my breath.

Our team medic was too close though, and he gave me a letdown frown that was almost as effective as Percy's. "Come on It's Christmas, lighten up."

My thousand-watt smile was so bright and fake it hurt as I cheerfully exclaimed "I hope I get ran over by a reindeer!"

Will's shoulders drooped, shaking his head as we caught up with the rest of the group. The stop was empty, but cold, the wind howling in at just the right angle to chill us to the bone. Lou Ellen was avoiding me when we caught up, and Cecil wasn't sure where to look, darting gaze catching me, then Will, then the sky all in a few seconds. I could feel my friends eyes boring holes in me as I took a seat on the bench, the others following my lead. Another five minutes to the next bus, goodie.

I did my best to look professional and in control of my body, and not look like the bone tired, temperamental tween I was stuck with. I was confident the façade was working-at least until I yet out a yawn, stiffly stretching, wincing when my fingers refused to move, and my eyelids ached.

"I'll already know what you're going to say, and I totally agree- things have gotten a little out of control, and it needs to stop before somebody gets hurt. So, let's get this over with."

Will seemed skeptical, although I could see Lou Ellen breathing out in relief. They let me carry on though, and I took the conversation into my own hands, so we could move on.

"Will…" I sighed, brushing a stray strand of ebony out of the way, giving him a pitying look. "You have a problem."

There was silence as Will tried to compute, just a beat behind.

"Excuse me?"

I pointed to the questionable attire he had trapped us all in. "It's December 10th Will, we can dial it back with the decorations. Lou nearly broke her back yesterday putting up the Christmas lights with you, and Cecil's already too short, if you keep giving him those weird hats people are going to think he's an elf."

Will didn't look amused, but Cecil came to the rescue. "I do not look like an elf! I'm not that short, I mean… Oh gods why does this stupid thing have a bobble!"

He threw the hat in Lou's direction, who winced when it hit her still sore back, trying to keep her composure and offer a neutral nod to Will when he checked up on her.

"I'm not the one with a problem di Angelo."

I feigned pity, shaking my head grievously. "Still in denial, we've got a few stages to go. What is it Lou, the second stage?"

Lou, to her credit, tried to stay out of this, but Cecil was all to happy to butt in.

"Second stage, two turtle doves! He's got Christmasitis, he's using his weird body magic to make me short again!"

Cecil being shorter meant the kid would be microscopic at this point, but I nodded along all the same while Will huffed, glaring at me expectantly.

"Are you done?" he asked with a faint smile, leaning back.

No use trying to milk this for anything else, if I pushed it to hard I'd wake up in the morning as a living ornament, probably something with a glowing nose and antlers. Living as Nico the red nosed reindeer for the rest of the season wasn't exactly on my to do this, might as well wrap it up.

I nudged his shoulder, giving his hand a squeeze as I gave him my offer. "I know it's difficult to admit when you have a problem, but that's why we're all here for you. Tell you what, you hold off on all the Jingle Bell's until next week, and I'll stop using shadow magic."

Will's eyes sparked, but he played it cool. "For how long?"

"Three days."

"Two weeks."

"Five days."

"Two weeks."

"Will, that's not how you haggle." I argued, crossing my arms.

Will shrugged innocently, giving my scarf an uncomfortable jerk. "Two weeks, final offer."

"Alright, you've got a deal Solace." I was lying either way, what was the harm?

We shook hands, Will's bandaged left hand frozen in the cold wind. The boy noticed my stare and bumped me, offering a smile that I couldn't return. Lies, lies, lies… If there was ever a time to back down, now was it. That hand was how this all started, how we became friends. And it all started with lies and death.

I felt out of touch as the others dragged me up on the bus, shoving and squirming our way into our seats, fighting off the day walkers. So maybe Percy had been right- I could use a vacation. Life was tough nowadays. I was still a kid, scheduling a war was a big deal. I mean, scheduling a war for anybody was a big deal, but when you're the only one who knows its going to happen, there' s a whole other layer of exhaustion and anxiety waiting just for you, another pit of private hell.

And this last mission… Everything else was falling into place, it was just a matter of time. This was a loose thread, something I had to clean up before it had a chance to unravel everything we were working for.

The five of us had a whole operation here. We had 'borrowed' our current house, Lou Ellen using the Mist to give us our legal guardians, Cecil forging the paperwork, Clovis sleeping, and Will playing mother hen while we worked towards the day we could live in Camp Half Blood and leave this all behind us. Not long now.

I could give everybody a fun day and cut the snark for just a bit, I owed them that. The oath was just a jumpstarter now, I was actually kind of excited to be going wherever it was we were going now. I joked around as we rolled along, trying not to think too much about what I would have to do tonight when they went to sleep.

Our destination turned out to be the Brooklyn House Pizzeria, the latest Chuck E. Cheese rip-off to curse the world. I hummed thoughtfully as Cecil ran ahead through the double door, pulling out a wad of bills to pay for our ticks. Brooklyn House… Why did that name sound familiar?

For a Sunday at noon, this place was packed. Screaming kids ran back and forth from the arcades to the ball pits and the prize center, never standing still for too long. A few animatronics were waving out to a wild crowd from a stage at the back, one in particular, a boy dressed up as a white-haired Peter Pan or something, catching my eye.

This place was aimed at kids, and while I was proud to be practically towering over the tots teetering around here, I couldn't deny the fact that I kind of wanted to let loose. Not to mention that game set on the prize wall was only nine thousand tokens. Bring it on arcade!

The second we had our hands stamped, Cecil dragged Lou Ellen off to the stage, hopping and whooping with the other kids. It was kind of adorable.

"They're half off today to showcase the Felix Philip Penguin Palooza." Will informed me, ignoring my failed attempts to not look to excited as he passed me a cup full of tokens. "And we all needed a break, so I thought a holiday show would be fun. Even if it's all a woeful symptom of my crippling depression and  _Christmasitis_."

I rolled my eyes, pushing him towards the nearest arcade machine. "Shut up and help me win. Or do I get to beat you at this too?"

Will proved to be a good opponent, we were tied at most machines, although he somehow destroyed me at basketball, his aim on point for every single throw. Not that it really mattered, I ended up stealing all his tokens either way. Cecil and Lou eventually dragged us back to the stage, where we cheered for the animatronics.

The three upfront were anthropomorphic penguins with different colored Santa hats and scarves, while the other two were of a polar bear wearing a vest, and the white-haired Peter Pan. No, Jack Frost! Snow white limbs showed off sparkling frost patterns, eye bulbs glowed a bright ice blue, their teeth never closing all the way as they sang along and danced. It was creepily human, at least compared to the others, and probably just a little shorter than Percy.

With a final explosion of confetti, and a hokey looking aurora borealis shining across their stage, the curtain came down, and the crowd dispersed, every kid fighting tooth and nail to get back to the games. I swear the playhouse was overflowing with kids, stray feet and hands sticking out at every angle as they all squeezed in there.

Without the crowd overwhelming my senses, there was a strange tingle on my neck, dragging me off the high they had infected me with. The air seemed off, the whole place just feeling inherently wrong. A wound in life around us, something that didn't fit right.

I stepped back when Cecil tried to drag me away, letting out a pulse, the echo of vitality strong. Except…

"Come on Neeks!" Cecil whined, still pulling a complacent Lou behind him. Gods he was so oblivious.

Will gave me a questioning look and I shook my head, managing to steal my hand away, backing out of reach.

"I'll catch up with you." I promised, backtracking to the hallway. "I just gotta hit the bathroom."

Cecil and Lou were gone instantly, calling back to me about getting more tickets, but Will cocked his head, watching me go. I gave him a pleading look, and he furrowed his brow, clenching and unclenching his bandaged hand over and over again. Before he could object, I was turning a corner and out of sight.

I passed the neon bathroom doors, stalking quietly down the brightly lit hall, unsure what I was looking for. No cameras decorated the ceiling as I passed the kitchen, then the storage room, only empty tiles full of cheerful ornaments. I finally got to the last door in the hallway, a black door reading 'Employees Only.' Locked of course, but all it took was a quick snap- except it didn't. The door resisted my magic.

Unease was gnawing at me now, concern bubbling up my throat. What was going on here? How did they have an enchanted door? What was the Brooklyn House hiding? Just thinking that name raised some red flag in the back of my mind. We needed to get out of here, but this feeling…

The door clicked, pushing outward, and I ducked behind it, a caramel brown-haired girl stomping out, her boots clapping loudly against the tiles. There hadn't even been a hint of her life force before, the door had blocked out everything. It was closing fast now though-I let out another pulse, diving into the empty room when I didn't feel a living echo.

The room was almost directly behind the stage- I could see the roundabout for where they could pull them back for maintenance, the various screens and electronics keeping them in order, and crates full of spare parts and machines. There was even a backup Jack Frost back here, his right arm out of its casing, revealing the complex mechanisms inside.

A tool box decorated in penguin stickers with the name 'Felix' on the side was at it's feet, and judging by the discarded hot wings and open user's manual next to it, the owner would be coming back soon. I better finish this up fast-whatever it was I was doing.

A sirens song of wrong had beckoned me, for a moment, and it was all I could do to follow. The wound that had been oozing out of this place was gone, there was nothing left to feel. Alien magic was strong here, strange power pulsing through the pizzeria, a living beat. It was strong in this room, a control center for the restaurant. I let my eyes wander, taking in the cubbies and lockers scattered about the room, strange artifacts cluttering the walls. Carter, Sadie, Walt, Amos, Felix, Jaz, and so many more.

Those names were familiar, I had them written in my journal I was sure of it. And those artifacts, pristine pieces that would have been at home in a museum- from another age for sure. Taking a closer look turned out to be a bad idea. A faded mural lit up as I approached, feeding on an unknown presence; my presence. Color flared into the careful brushstrokes, the picture spreading angelic wings and six legs-a scarab. Brooklyn House! Crap, the Egyptians! We were not supposed to make contact, not until after Kronos! I dived into the shadows as the bug mural climbing out of the wall above me. The Great Dane sized insectoid scuttled about, its mighty pincers clicking together as I held my breath, holding in my very essence.

Not that it did me any good. One of its legs clicked into shadow I was hiding in and it zeroed in on my, wings buzzing angrily as those enormous legs tapping and clawing their way into the void after me. I dived deeper, but those legs followed, stretching impossibly long.

When I tried to shadow travel out, the rooms inherent magic blocked me, trapping me within these four walls. Decision time, the scarab had almost reached me, its beady head was poking into the shadows now, wings buzzing like a hurricane. Either the Egyptians would catch a Greek and get involved early, or they would find a busted scarab and have a few clues to know someone else was in the neighborhood.

Might as well risk it. A barrage of shadows speared up, slicing the attacking leg to shreds and driving it back up to the surface. I sent another slice up, rending it in half. With a final hiss, the magic keeping it together dissolving, those fluttering wings still flapping as it vanished into a mix of glowing symbols. Had to move fast now, that thing was probably their alarm system. I was still moving out of the shadows when the mural glowed once more, two giant scarabs buzzing out, this time wielding tusk like mandibles laced with jagged spikes.

I blitzed into the rafters, twin nails of darkness impaling them from above while I aimed a blast of death at the mural. Glowing hieroglyphs flared in defense, deflecting the blast and responding with four scarabs now, heavily armored in inky black chitin.

Shadows bounced off their oily hides, they were humming up after me now, eating up the shadows as they went. I leapt into the darkness again, ready to make a break for the door but- when I landed back on the rafter, I was still in the sky, the metal beam solid under my feet. In unison the four scarabs crashed back to earth, their heavy bodies smashing delicate equipment.

It took a moment to hit up here, but I nearly fell off the beam as that familiar wrong exploded outwards, dissolving the magical defenses the room had to offer. This wrongness wasn't from the Egyptians. The wound had killed off their security, and the mural had returned to a lifeless painting, the symbols peeled and wilting.

The presence vanished, replaced by a strange clicking below me. I couldn't find anything at first, not until movement caught my eye. The Jack Frost animatronic was jerking to life, ticking and uneven as it surveyed the room with broken pieces, waving to a lost audience.

"H-H-H-He-he-he-hey there b-b-b-boys and gi-gi-girls! B-boys and gi-girls! Who w-w-w-wants to have f-f-f-f-f-fun?"

I stared at it, flinching when I was suddenly on the ground, my power cutting back into place as I found myself beside the door. As much as I needed to run, my limbs wouldn't obey, I was transfixed by the animatronic as its busted voice box chopped out less and less.

"S-s-s-Somebody mention F-f-f-r-o-st? D-d-d-don't you want to-don't you want to p-p-p-play?" It wheezed, the preprogrammed dance clacking as loose plates and panels flapped open with the movement. "You c-c-c-c-called me! L-l-l-let it snows!"

There was a burst of confetti from its stand, blocking it from sight for a fraction of a second. There was enough time or a blink, a millisecond of time as the sparkling material dropped. Frost was reaching out for me, that mechanical joy in place, its bulbs burnt out but sparking as it looked straight at me, struggling to face me as it stayed rooted to its base.

That was it, this was what was wrong, I could feel it bleeding through, leeching the very life from the world. We had an intense staring match, mechanical lenses blurring down to mock blinking occasionally, each lid out of sync. The door rattled behind me and I ducked out of the way as the caramel haired girl returned, a barrel-chested man with thick braids and a fedora following in tow.

There wasn't time to think or plan, before I knew it had snagged the user's manual and the animatronic in shadows, reappearing on the roof. I knelt down, plunging my hand into my own shadow, snagging Cecil out from his. He let out an oomph as I rolled him out, tripping Lou Ellen next, the girl falling up through the ground as I got a fix on Will.

The boy gave an undignified yelp when I wrenched him up through the darkness, struggling to get his bearings while the others huddled together, the warm pizzeria replaced with unwavering winter winds and frigid breezes.

"Nico, you promised no more shadow magic! I know it's hard when you… when you have Jack Frost?" Will trailed off, face turning serious as he checked me out, "Fill me in."

He grabbed our hands, the four of us all chaining together as he shared some of the suns warmth, teeth that I hadn't even realized were chattering slowing to silence as I fumbled over my words.

"Egyptians. We can't be here, have to go now."

Will nodded reluctantly, giving the shop beneath his feet a wary look. "Lou, give us a smoke signal, Nico, you're going to have to get us out of here. Why did you bring the-"

I shook my head, I didn't have time to explain. Not if I was right. I pushed him back, Will stumbling only to sink into his shadow, vanishing from sight as I rounded on Cecil. He flinched when I shoved the stolen manual in his face, cold fingers snatching it away in confusion.

"Can you figure this out?" I demanded.

Cecil fought to open it up, spinning through the thousands of pages that were bulging out before giving a shaking nod. "Kind of? Maybe, I don't know."

That was good enough for me, I shoved him and the animatronic down into the darkness, picturing the Blue Lodge. They vanished without a trace, and I whirled to Lou Ellen who was hovering a good foot of the ground. Mist was circling her wildly, faint hieroglyphic symbols hazing in the wind as she whispered ancient secrets.

There was no way of knowing what she was saying, but I could feel her arcane power muddling the Egyptians, keeping them busy below while we escaped. Fingers crossed it would be enough for now. The Mist faded, as did the glitching hieroglyphs, and Lou alighted back down to the roof, wobbling just a bit.

Fighting down the question I really wanted to ask, I put steadying hand on her shoulder. "You good?"

She nodded sleepily, teetering even with my support. I relaxed a little, entwining our arms and spirting us away. Darkness gave way to light, we were home again, the door firmly locked behind us. I could hear the others banging around upstairs where I had spit them out, there wasn't much time left.

"Lou?" Piercing green eyes found mine, waiting. "Can a call follow you? The Conjuring I mean. It's supposed to stay in one place, but can it follow you?"

Lou Ellen thought for a long time, agonizingly long as the others stomped down the stairs, Cecil coming into view. I needed an answer now, the panic was starting to rise in my chest, a fear of something unexpected overwhelming everything else.

In the end, she shook her head. "Rituals don't work like that, it's all about location. Anything you call ends up where the summoning happened."

Exactly, that's what I already knew. The whole reason I performed the ritual in the basement was for that exact reason, a place where I would be in control, ready to defend. So, it couldn't be that. It wasn't possible by the laws of magic.

All the same, I couldn't shake the feeling as Will and Cecil hopped in, quizzing me about the Egyptians and the scarabs I had fought. A touch of corruption, bleeding out into the world, something hurting that shouldn't be possible.

A monster I had invited home.

 **Ψ-X-x-X-x-ψ-Ω-ψ-x-X-x-X** - **Ψ**

Jack Frost was set up in the far corner of my room, his terminal plugged in as best it could be. Cecil was far from an electronic whiz, but the kid had pulled through. I think. The animatronic could move now, but it wasn't responding. He was pretty sure the bot had reset when I unplugged it, or that it needed a receiver.

Last I had seen, he was attempting to wade through the first chapter, Lou Ellen by his side as they checked for parts. There were so many questions right now, so many pieces that didn't fit. There was one they were all burning to ask as well, but it was impossible for me to explain. I couldn't tell them why I had kidnapped Jack Frost, or even let them in on my suspicions.

There wasn't even an echo inside the machine anymore, no hint of corruption at all. The newest member or our family just stood there, dead silent and locked in motion, a souvenir the Egyptians would be eager to get back.

What the hell was I thinking sneaking back there? The second I realized the place was run by our future friends I should have hightailed it out of there. They were dealing with their own war, we couldn't get dragged into that right now, not until we were ready.

Even just peeking in to their backroom mean there was a fifty-fifty chance they could track us back here, but I had to take things one step further and kidnap this broken bot. Everyone was at risk because of a split-second decision that wasn't paying off in the slightest. Once Lou's spell wore off, the Egyptians could pick up the pieces we left behind and follow them to our doorstep. Which meant one thing.

Will knew what it meant, even if the others didn't. He'd already started packing up, purging the rooms we weren't using of any trace that we had ever been here. Gods I'm such an idiot. I needed to go to sleep so Percy could help me out- didn't he know Carter? The journal had confirmed that they were friends, we all were. I just hoped I hadn't ruined it.

Falling asleep was a struggle again. Even with the blackout blinds lock in place, Jack Frost's base gave a dull, glimmering glow, and Will's cleaning echoed up the stairs. It was the middle of the day, sleep wasn't what my body wanted.

"This is all your fault." I snarled at the animatronic.

Jack Frost didn't bother defending himself, plastic smile still locked in place. Useless hunk of scrap. There was no denying what I had felt back in the Brooklyn House Pizzeria. This bot had echoed with hurt long enough to eat away at the enchantments holding the place together, and now it was empty.

"It's you. I know it. Stop pretending."

No response. Not that I had been expecting any. I stopped fighting the urge to sleep, instead focusing on breathing slow and letting the tension out of my limbs. Blocking out the anxious thoughts was impossible, but I kept my head above the rush, counting my breaths and keeping steady.

Knowing when exactly the real world melted into the dream world was impossible. All I knew was that my eyelids were fluttering open, a yawn escaping my sore lips. The sound echoed eerily through my bedroom- an exaggerated version where the furniture had strange dimensions, exaggerated from lack of perspective.

I let the dream run its course, a familiar layout starting to take precedence, and another sleepy yawn echoing from the other room. Hmm... usually I always ended up in the Shoebox, ready for another date. Looks like I'd have to make a pitstop, if I was still here, then the fifth member of our gang wanted to chat.

There were no creaks under my feet when I crept down the hall. Gravity defying Christmas decorations floated in the air, the twinkling, multicolored lights of a Christmas tree sparkling from downstairs. I walked to the nearest door, the muffled sound of jolly holiday music meeting my ears from behind a wrapping paper door. It was a near match for the real world, only a few details missing or out of proportion.

"Clovis?" I asked, giving the door a sharp wrap.

Almost instantly, the door swung open, revealing a gymnasium sized interior that was nothing like the small room our Son of Hypnos really occupied. The music took to deafening levels, hundreds of people chatting and dancing, reindeer and snowmen dancing among the crowd and flying up towards the endless ceiling.

Clovis was nowhere to be seen, so I let myself be lost in the crowd, passing through as carefully as I could. Most people were in pajamas or jeans, some were wrapped in nothing, but towels-these were the dreamers.

You see, the fifth member of our gang was a bit different. Clovis was practically comatose in the real world, his power over sleep and dreams kept him snoring like a baby. However, years of being alone in your dreams had given him practical mastery over this realm, to the point where his dreams had turned into the Grand Central Station of nighttime. The whole city ended up here eventually, pulled into Clovis' never-ending party.

A rollercoaster made entirely of marshmallows and chocolate zoomed overhead, strange beasts with tentacled limbs and wiry arms swimming through the air, dripping globs of cotton candy and cash.

People were weird, their minds and ideas half formed as they partied here. I steered clear, wading through the mob until I finally caught sight of Clovis at a dance machine, competing against a figure with a striking resemblance to Michael Jackson.

He waved when he caught sight of me, a reflection of himself dancing as he jogged over, all smiles and giggles. It hurt a little to see him in this world, knowing his pain in the real world. Clovis in our world was a bit potbellied and soft, with perpetual bedhead and a sleepy demeanor. In his dreams though, the real Clovis came out, the hyperactive, fluffy hair blonde who was always flying around.

"Niccolo!" He cheered glomping me to the floor, our impact softened when the marshmallow roller coaster exploded, puffy fragments easing our descent.

Clovis wound me in the worlds biggest hug, lugging me to my feet, dancing around as a grinned up at me, tugging me along as he ran through the crowd.

"It's been ages, we never hang out anymore!" He groused, somehow behind me now, propelling me through the crowd with lightning speed. "And you missed my movie party last night! I managed to hook us up with Hollywood, we had so many celebrities!"

Gods I had forgotten all about his invitation. He was right of course, we didn't really hang out too much. Daytime was for suffering through the doldrums of everyday life, and dreams were for catching up with Percy. I would have brought him along with me, but whenever I tried to anchor him in our time, the Percy I didn't know took over, his dreams ghosting through my fingertips before I could drag him back.

It was the choice then, Percy or Clovis, and when it came down to it, Clovis was work. Our last job had meant infiltrating Jason's head, planting seeds that would eventually grow and lead him to Odyssey Cove. It was a long, painful process that was nowhere near as cool as you would think. It had actually involved a micro-ton of paperwork, to be carefully filed away in his subconscious, slipping out to give hints and ideas every once in a while.

Not exactly my idea of a good time, but that wasn't being fair to our drowsy friend. I'd make it up to him tomorrow night for sure.

Clovis luckily seemed to read my train of thought, pausing to give me another hug and shaking his head. "Don't worry, we can catch up I know you have to go catch your boytoy. What happened out there, things feel bad."

He didn't give me a chance to explain the situation before plowing ahead, the door to the Shoebox 3.0 rising from the disco panels under out feet.

"Listen, I know you're busy so I just wanted to give you a heads up, Hypnos is in town, you need to be careful with your dreams. I'll keep you covered, but you're gonna have to wrap things up with Percy for a while, dad's rules specifically say no associating with your future selves or else."

I raised an eyebrow, skidding to a halt as Clovis bounced ahead, swinging on the door, waiting expectantly, dancing to the thousands of songs all playing at once.

"Or else what?"

Clovis just shook his head, throwing open the door and waving me in, his attention already fixed on the newly constructed hot chocolate fountain dripping from the ceiling. That was helpful. I waved a quick goodbye, Clovis practically slamming the door closed behind me, the party noise cut of in an instant, leaving the quiet calm of our apartment.

I was still under Clovis influence as I felt around for the light switch, my powers trying to see in the dim light. Where was the switch? I had this wall memorized, it was right here? I tripped over a shoe pile, faceplanting painfully on cold concrete. A light buzzed on overhead while I cradled by bruised face, trying to get my bearings.

This wasn't the Shoebox 3.0-where the hell had Clovis sent me? That had been my door alright-the sea green paint with black and grey highlights, tinged silver. But this place was familiar. It almost looked like the last Shoebox, the one we'd be using in Odyssey Cove.

There were the split rooms for when Mars came in, the training room closet, and the bathroom over there. But the kitchen was bare, and there was no TV, only a shabby couch and a scarred floor. The front door was a mess of sea glass and various shells, a strange menagerie that screamed Percy. Where was this place? Ignoring the pain, I managed to stand up, doing a slow turn of the apartment, giving a peek into the training room.

Yeah, this couldn't be the Shoebox we'd be using, the war table was missing, as was the wall sized board Annabeth had implemented for our schemes. A bomb might as well have gone off in here, there were gunshot holes, deep slices in the plaster, and scars covering the pillars, signs of recent fights. The smell of blood, however faint, soured the air, the scent following me when I slammed the door.

More lights flickered on, ghostly versions of demigods phasing in and out. Percy, Annabeth, Luke, Jason, Leo, Piper- Gods what was wrong with Piper? The daughter of Aphrodite I knew was a lean mean love killing machine, this girl could have been the poster child for purging, a gust of wind could have knocked her over.

Jason wasn't right either, he had a new set of scars on his wrist, and strange red blotches-hydra venom? Whatever weirdness was going on had spread to Percy as well. He looked too much like me-bruises under his eyes, a smile hiding something terrible underneath. There was no way that was the boy I was going to meet. I literally had our first encounter choreographed to the last detail, I'd seen the dream a thousand times a thousand different was.

The others phased out, now there was only Percy, a Percy screaming on the edge of a cliff. Hate and pain were radiating from him with such clarity I choked, stumbling away as he unleashed a wave of chaos, obliterating a small army that had him cornered, as well as most of the cliffside.

That was not the Percy I had been dreaming about. But it was my Percy. His soul sang out, the song miserable and twisted, but still a song that my soul knew the words to. Visions of a new future started to emerge, branding themselves into my brain. Everything was different, someone else was pulling the strings as I watched, pushing everyone to the brink.

Time Reset, cruel gold overtaking the world when I watched my friends die, their souls forced back into their bodies by a hellish machination. This was not my future, this was nothing like what I had planned for. Screams were growing louder, so many feral howls and curses, but then it cut out, the whole world falling quiet.

Dead silence.

I was back in that strange imitation of the Shoebox, on my knees and gasping. Motion caught my eyes, my breath catching in my throat as I saw another version of myself. He was a monster, practically skeletal muscle and skin with a shaggy black mane of hair and black eyes. Scars I had never seen peppered my arms and neck, and there were new scratches and chips in my sword. A strange scar stood out on their lip, a pale slice that hurt to look at. When I dragged my eyes away, my heart stopped, finding a body behind the future me, unmoving and cold.

Percy...

_What is it you think you see?_

No! what was this, this was impossible, it was- movement, subtle, hidden movement caught my eyes this time, and I glared desperately at the entryway. The front door had crept open just a bit, unending void swallowing everything. And a presence, the wrongness.

_What game do you think you're playing?_

Future me was moving closer, he kneeled in front of me, cupping my cheek and turning me away, even as I felt the wrongness start moving behind me, taking advantage of my distraction. There was no noise, terrible silence as the future me whispered words with no voice.

_What did you let in?_

They were right behind me, a cold, scarred hand was reaching out, towards me, the world was tearing itself apart while I froze, unable to see, unable to move. Percy's corpse sat up behind future me, only now it was the Jack Frost animatronic, it's cheerful smile marred by chipped paint and bloody prosthetics.

"Did somebody call Jack Frost me? Who's ready to party boys and girls Nico! Ready to have some fun wake up?"

The world exploded into stars, all I could hear was Jack Frost's mechanical voice, his words marred with the strange silent wrongness. The floor was gone beneath my feet, I was whirling past images of a world I had never seen, excruciating pain flooding through me as the voice kept speaking, the sound box slowly dying out as pitch blackness swooped up to meet me.

Y. Luke and Percy crash-landed into Odyssey Cove, a different Nico watching hatefully as they recovered. O. Future Nico was screaming at Hazel, Piper's friend was lying in ruddy pieces at the Empousa's hooved feet, the light fading from her eyes. U. I was being hunted by Kampê, remembering dreams I already had, a world that was no longer mine. C. None of my friends were in sight; there was no Will, no Cecil, Lou Ellen, not even Clovis. A. I was screaming at Percy, a Percy who had already accepted a fate I was fighting against.

The inky earth caught up to me and I crash-landed, falling out of bed and onto the floor, heart beating a thousand miles a minute. My already body breaking pulse rocketed when I looked in the corner. Jack Frost was gone.

There was a noise outside my door, a quiet scuffling, the door was creaking open. Time wasn't a luxury, all I could see was the wrong Shoebox door ajar, that scarred hand poking in. My sword was already out of its scabbard, I swung it through the air like a javelin.

There was a panicked yelp as it sliced through to the hilt, a familiar voice crying out "Nico!"

A voice- the dead silence was gone, there was noise all around, the bustle of a nighttime city, my own hash gasps. The door was carefully pushed open, blinding sunlight blocking sight as Will came into view, palm outstretched, ready for my next blow.

I fell back against the bed, trying to calm shattered nerves. Will was at my side, glowing hands cupping my cheek, gauging my health as he tried to talk to me, the sound over everything at once still so overwhelming.

"I'm sorry." I managed, gripping his bandaged hand in a death grip. "I'm so sorry."

Will shook his head, holding me tight, as he waited for me to come back to myself.

"The animatronic-it's gone." I explained when my voice finally evened.

Will paused, then broke out laughing, making me jump as he leaned away, shaking his head happily. "Is that what this is about? Gods, Cecil and I moved that down to the basement, so he could work on it without waking you up dude."

Oh. That made sense. It wasn't moving on its own, it wasn't wearing Percy like a second skin and terrorizing my dreams. Just thinking about it had my blood run cold, mind racing to figure out what I was missing. A new branch of the future, something so far off the path of our happy ending that I didn't know where to start.

Remembering it all was impossible now, there were only those harsh memories, quick glimpses branded in my brain. Agony of a different world ached in my heart though, pulsing to a frightening beat.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Will accused with a wink, checking my temperature. "Are you alright Nick?"

I had to think about that one, but in the end, I nodded. "Just a nightmare. I'll be fine. Sorry again, about the whole door thing, I might have overreacted a bit there."

That was practically a Percy level overreaction, the kind he suffered when the PTSD got to be too much to handle. In this moment though, I felt as though I was suffering from my own trauma, crunching through my very soul.

Will and I sat there for a while, the blonde medic in hover mode as he fretted over me, checking every possible option before I managed to send him to check on Clovis. If anything had happened in my dream, it might have spread to our residential Sleep King and that wasn't a risk I was willing to take.

Not to mention a nightmare of that intensity probably hadn't meshed well with his whole suggestion of keeping a low profile and avoiding the attention of his father. Fingers crossed that nothing came of that and both would play out alright.

After a few minutes of recovering, my journal instinctively found its way into my hand. Flipping to the back took a while. None of the loose pages or chapters seemed right for the deviance I needed to scrawl there, the words I scribbled had no place in these happy papers.

Reading the scribbles was out of the question, the moment they were out of my head and on the page, I forgot them, abandoning them to a dark place I would never look. I banished the journal away and made my way downstairs, where the basement awaited.

Mazes of boxes had been pushed aside, reminding me for a split second of the way I had organized the room for my ritual. Cecil was nowhere to be found, but there was Jack Frost. My friends had set him up center stage beside a foldup table, pages of the manual thrown here and there. New panels had been jimmied open, wires spilling out from his already broken arm.

I studied it for a long time, not sure how to approach. First the wrong feeling, now a nightmare, a holy terror where I murdered Percy. What exactly were you supposed to do in this situation? I pulled up a chair, tapping out an angsty beat on the plastic.

"You can hear me." I informed it. "I know you can."

Jack Frost stayed silent and unmoving.

"You answered the call. I know who you really are."

This information didn't faze the animatronic at all. The hunk of junk was plugged in, the base was lit up. Jack had to be working. And even if he wasn't, I knew that I was right. This thing could hear me. Empty shell or not, this was exactly what I thought it was.

"Stop playing dumb and speak up. I don't want to waste my time here."

Surprise, surprise, no response. Rage was building up inside, practiced calm breaking away after a days' worth of unexpected, unwelcome twists and turns.

"Percy is in trouble, I don't have time to play your game. Now wake up!"

Overhead bulbs cried, their light giving way to growing darkness, shadows starting to writhe around us. Relaxation exercises Will had drilled into me to avoid breakdowns like this were useless, I couldn't remember a lick of his instructions. All the memories were stained with the image of my dead boyfriend.

My voice was a growl now. "Wake up!"

A shadowy punch knocked Jack out of position, another blow cracking upside the bots head and sending it cracking at a weird angle. Still nothing. I gave up, cursing at the thing, a wave of blackness washing him off his stand and against the wall, cracking his chassis and knocking a faceplate loose, the skeletal inner mechanisms exposed to the biting shadows.

"Dude."

Cecil and Will were in the doorway, wary as they surveyed the scene. I let the shadows go, casting another apologetic shrug at Will, Jack Frost falling uselessly to the floor. Cecil whined, trudging down the steps to the fallen animatronic, checking the pieces and trying to put him back on his stand while Will gave me that same concerned look again.

I avoided him for the moment, joining Cecil in fixing the bot. It was no use attaching him back to the base, the darkness had severed the links keeping him locked into place. We ended up putting him in the other foldup chair, leaning awkwardly over his own manual, as lifeless as ever. Cecil was prattling on about it being impossible to fix him now, though his speech was lost as I stared into those empty bulbs, forever focused on the tabletop beneath the bot.

Cecil gave up lecturing me, snagging a good half of the manual and patting me on the shoulder as he excused himself. I took my seat again, well are of Will's overbearing silence as he waited me out.

"Why did you bring it back here?"

Not the question I expected, not one of the hard ones that would mean spinning more lies. Could I answer it though?

My throat was dry and sullen when I replied "It's personal. Back in the Brooklyn House, it… I felt… I can't tell you Will, not yet."

Not ever. Another lie to throw on the fire. I hated when Will gave an understanding nod, managing to trap my hand in a sympathetic squeeze. I didn't deserve him as a best friend, he was too pure, too trusting. I could never explain this to anyone other than Percy, and even then, I'm sure it would lead to a shouting match.

"I know you've got a lot going on Nick, we all know how tough this is. Let me help. It doesn't have to be now, but… You don't have to go through this alone."

He was wrong, so wrong. Dragging other people into this mess would only make things worse, I had seen it happen in the future. That's why I had to cut it off now, before it could tear us apart in the future, no matter what Percy and the others might say.

Will's bandaged hand squeezed tighter, the reminder of what lay inside those tight wound gauze strips keeping me grounded. Maybe this was all a big mistake. I had messed up before, trying to take the future into my own hands without working with my dreams. That's how I had ended up scarring Will in the first place, forcing him to hide his arm away under those wraps.

Leaning on his shoulder felt good, I needed contact, something. I needed my boyfriend, a touch, any touch to make up for my lost dreams was enough. I almost didn't notice when Will turned his head, kissing my forehead and smiling supportively down at me.

"Come on, we should get you back to bed, you're always in a better mood after that. Clovis promised he'd play bouncer tonight, no more nightmares. We can go party forever"

The animatronic taunted me as I considered the order, its tantalizing shell waiting for round two. Better not to give it the satisfaction. Will gently shepherded me back to the main floor and then up the stairs, going the full mile to push me into bed.

I rolled my eyes, muttering something snarky about cuddle buddies and earning a chuckle from Will who shushed me and turned the light out, giving me a fond smile from the doorway, hiding the concern that was still circling in his heart.

"Night-night. Love you Neeks, sleep tight."

A sleepy hum answered him, the door closing as he vanished, his sunny aura following him down the hall as he checked in on Lou and Cecil. Always the protector, always keeping us safe and happy no matter what.

It was comforting to think on as I laid my head back down once again, happily reclaiming my soft pillow. Sleep was an issue again. My alarm clock blinked by the minutes, but this time, those calming breaths were utterly useless.

I needed to dream, that way I could finally relax and check up on Percy. Will wasn't the only one who could fix things, Percy knew how to make troubles melt away. I'm not sure which I needed more, the comfort or the advice on our brewing disaster. Responsibility was backing up the advice, but my heart wasn't in it at all, I wanted my hero. Then again, Percy wasn't the only one who could help me out here.

The air was chilly outside my blankets as I pull back the covers and made my way to the dresser. My Ouija Board, a specialty design Lou had gifted me Last Christmas was in the top drawer, the glossy black material eagerly awaiting my touch. A planchette of crystal and bone was hidden underneath, eagerly snapping into my hand as I sat down, placing the board between my legs.

Using death magic made for a nice change, the undead power greeting my tired limbs with a quick fix. The board glowed subtly at my touch, the planchette gliding silently across its oily surface as I began.

"Bianca di Angelo."

Death magic radiated out, ebbing out into the universe as I waited for a reply. The planchette twitched beneath my fingers, my smile growing as it led me to letters, a familiar voice in my head.

N.  _Busy._ T. I frowned, still letting the spirits tug the planchette around. Bianca always had time to chat, she was dead. Even in the underworld, she was still looking out for me. F. Bia had hunted me down in dreams, taming the angry, angst kid I was by connecting me to Percy in the first place. With her looking out for me, I had a second chance, I grew up. Thanks to Bianca, I escaped the fatal flaw of all children of Hades. I. How was I supposed to live with a grudge when I still had my sister and was already living my happy ending with the boy of my dreams?

Granted, the whole being dead thing made things a bit complicated, but no more complex than me dating Percy. X. There were a lot of rules, rules she broke all the time to keep me up to speed and hang out, but we made it work. The Ouija Board was our get out of jail free pass. Actually summoning her was out of the question. Dad wouldn't allow it, and Bianca wouldn't explain why. But this wasn't summoning at all, this was our little loophole.

"Sis, I could really use your help right now, things are going off the rails."

H. The planchette trembled and I got the impression that wherever she was, she was giving an exaggerated, ghostly sigh. I.  _Not a good time. Can't talk._ What was going on in the spirit world that was so important, she always put everything on hold. Unless she was talking to dad. Gods that would be bad.

Fine, this could wait, I'd just suffer a sleepless night. M. Apparently Bianca and Clovis were on the same wavelength, a jolt shot through the planchette, drowsy mist gifting me with an uncontrollable yawn.  _Sleep. Love you bro._

There was enough left of me to put the board back, whispering a sleepy farewell before collapsing back into bed. Bianca was busy, my friends were clueless, I was up to my neck in trouble, and my boyfriend was nowhere to be found except in my dreams. Better not keep him waiting, maybe I would still have time to go join the party with everybody else and make up for ruining our trip to the pizzeria.

I was more than a tiny bit relieved when I opened my eyes and saw the Shoebox I knew and loved. For a split second I was worried as the dream fed on my thoughts, a glimpse of that twisted sham showing through before my home asserted itself.

"Is that you babe?"

Percy. I grinned spinning around on the countertop, all the tension and anxiety melting away as he walked out of our bedroom. I didn't waste any time, I leapt off the counter, and tackled him, the older boy swinging me around in with laugh.

He nuzzled the top of my head, the smell of sea salt and home flooding my senses. "Good to see you too Neeks."

It was more than good to see him. There was so much to explain, way too much to go over. Let's hope there was enough time, I needed to find a way to talk about my disaster without revealing the ins and outs of my latest screw up. The last thing I needed was Percy worrying about that wrong presence cluttering up our lives.

Percy was opening his mouth to say something, or pay up on that kiss he owed me, I wasn't sure, when I felt a sharp pain in my chest. Almost simultaneously, Percy's head snapped up, beginning to shout a greeting towards the front hallway before he cut himself off. His brow furrowed curiously, and he glanced back at me, lost and worried, turning back to the hall. I stood up straight, following his gaze and keeping quiet.

Percy took a long, silent step further, eyes locked on the front door. Our unease was infecting the dream. The sun stained sky had given way to spilling clouds, mute drops splatting against the window, the Shoebox 3.0 losing its colorful vibrancy as he drew further away.

He was in battle mode, a wary hand extended out, water pooling at his fingertips while he kept himself between me and the door, ready to play defense at a second's notice.

"What is it babe?" I breathed a whisper, shadows coalescing into a blade at my call.

Percy whirled around, a finger on his lips to shush me, a genuinely panicked look on his face. I stepped through his shadow, sword at the ready, back to back as we approached. Whatever he was hearing it wasn't good, and now…

I could hear it now. Except there was nothing to hear, it was the absence of sound, the noise that was more deafening that quiet. Dead silence. Oh gods, it had followed me here. There was no color at our dream door; it didn't even belong to us anymore, it wasn't a piece of the Shoebox 3.0 I knew and loved.

He was hearing something though, he was trembling. There wasn't fear in those eyes though, he was fierce, ready. The sound was piercing, an echo of nothing; an opposite knock on our door that shook the whole apartment.

This dead silence was excruciating, the shakes had spread to me now, it was a losing battle to stay upright as the Shoebox 3.0 blurred. The door was starting to creak open. A voice with no words echoed and Percy was gone.

Practice had me follow the blue blur that trailed him, watching as watery tendrils battled to keep the door closed, Percy using the doorframe for support as he wrestled against the unseen. I rushed forward, but the cool paneling beneath our feet split, the whole apartment swinging away in separate directions.

I pulled the shadows, stitching the wood together as it fell apart, calling out to him. Percy shook his head as I jumped closer, tossing me away with a wave of his hand.

"What did you do?" He demanded, the sound of rushing water pounding in my ears. "You have to stop, you're not safe! Nico-"

The door splintered, I saw something I shouldn't have. I howled as my face erupted in pain, real pain. The shock woke me up, my hands slapping to the pain radiating in my face. I was fighting back sobs, shaking like a leaf as I tried to make sense of what was happening and calm down.

I was downstairs before I knew it, crashing up against the bathroom sink, staring at my reflection, taking in the damage. My face was a mess, and there was blood on my tongue-and well, everything. Worst of all, an all too familiar scar decorating my bottom lip, an open wound that seared with every intake of breath and pump of escaped blood. This was the scar of a future Nico, a scar from a timeline that scared me. I touched it with gentle hands, the pain excruciating as I poked and prodded it. This was too far, dreams were never that intense. It didn't matter how busy Bia was, I needed her help, I needed Clovis, hell I'd even let Percy and Will in on this.

Bloody fingers found an ambrosia square, biting back a groan as I swallowed it, the pain still intense. There was no immediate reaction, I just stood there, clutching the edge of the counter for support watching my ruined lip. How could I have bit through my own lip? Sure, there were intense dreams before, and this one could spawn a whole series of psychiatric novels for the ages, but still! It was only because of them, the sight of the door opening and… and…

The pain was fading now. My lip was mending but without Will's magic, I was going to need some stitches. I settled for a quick fix of nectar, the substance burning, a warning that I had ingested too much godly food. Not that I had much of a choice. Bia's advice, Will's medical attention, Percy… They were all on hold right now. I washed my face and hands as fast as I could, annoyed at the blood staining my shirt.

At least it hadn't been in my aviator, the image of future me with the same attire stained red, stained

with Percy's blood was too much. Satisfied I was at least presentable, silently stalked out, marching back down to the basement. Jack Frost was in the exact same position as when we had left. Not that I expected any different. I glared at him, tapping my foot, darkness writing at my touch again. There was nothing I wanted more in the world than to smash the bot to bits, but that wouldn't get us anywhere.

No, if anything that would only make things worse.

"Are you happy with yourself? I know you did this." I growled, pointing to my lip.

Talking hurt, but I didn't let that stop me, I had work to do. The animatronic, as usual, ignored me. I laughed, taking a long walk around the room, barely able to hold back the inky daggers begging to unmake the broken machine.

"Of course you are, this is what you wanted isn't it. I invited you here, and this is what I get? You waltz on in and ruin the future for all of us."

There was no way to stay calm when it still didn't respond, I slammed my fists down on the tabletop, darkness spilling out with my rage.

"Wake up already!"

"Wake up already."

I flinched away, the shock killing off the shadows for the moment as I stepped back, carefully appraising the animatronic. Was that all in my imagination? Wait, had that blue light in its chest plate always been on?

Cecil's notes on were scattered on the table with the rest of the manual, discarded as unimportant. After waiting fruitlessly for a repeat performance, I started digging through the notes, looking for a sign. Let's see, hard resets, language modifiers, combat mode, jumpscares, sing along options… Wait blue light, there we go!

"Recording mode?" I read aloud, confused.

"Re-re-recording mode." Jack Frost parroted back.

My gaze twitched back and forth, unsure where to look. Speed reading the instructions was useless. This tech was advanced. If I had an extra Egyptian or Leo hanging around, this would be a cakewalk, but the best I could do was catch the basics.

Then again, the basics might be all I need. A strange calm took over and I smiled, the shadows straightening Jack's posture, so we could sit face to face as I claimed the chair opposite to him, shuffling the papers so I could get the most out of this. I wonder…

Sighing deeply, I took the first step. "Sorry about that. Things have been a little tense around here today, had a close call with the Egyptians."

Jack Frost parroted me word for word, his jack starting to clack, mimicking the words. Shadows spilled into the animatronics inner mechanisms as I studied the diagram, the darkness forcing wires and junk back into place. Hardly a perfect fix, but it would be enough.

"I didn't mean to snap at you. You're the guest of honor after all."

Snow blue bulbs were shining again, Jack looking ecstatic as he repeated my apology. Leaning back in my chair, I surveyed the work, wondering how long I had before the bot shut down. It should be working at all off its base, which meant we were moving in the right direction. Or that the battery the manual mentioned just held one hell of a charge.

"You might not recognize me, we haven't met before. My name is Nico di Angelo."

"My name is-s-s Nico di A-a-Angelo."

I gave an encouraging nod, blocking out the rampant doubt in my head. I wasn't just talking to an empty shell, this wasn't a waste of time when there were real issues to deal with.

"That's not actually your name, but it's a start." It was annoying to listen to its dying voice box, so I talked over it. "You're probably wondering why I called you here today. You're confused, you're afraid."

"You're af-f-fraid."

"Don't worry. I'm here to keep you safe. I've been looking for you for a long time actually. Percy and I are working to fix everything, and I know you want to be a part of that. You deserve your happy ending too."

"D-d-deserve your h-happy ending too."

I took a cold, mechanical palm in my hand, entwining our fingers. No response, but I gave it a squeeze, smiling into those dead eyes. Still nothing. I kept a firm grip on their limp claw, tapping the top of their hand as I went over the notes again trying to see what I was missing.

Clearing my throat, I issued a new command. "Repeat last entry."

Jack Frost didn't mimic those words to my relief, his eyes flashing and the blue light switching to yellow as it began.

"S-s-sorry about that. Things have been a little t-t-tense with the Egyptians. Snap at the g-g-g-guest of honor. Recognize Nico. Confused, y-y-y-you're afraid. Keep you safe. Percy fix everything, part of h-h-hap... "

The voice box gave a loud whine, the last few skips growing deeper and deeper until it was a single, deep set monotone. Alright, so it had been a total waste of time after all. Crap. No, not it was fine, we'd drop this scavenge back off at the Egyptians doorstep and get the hell out of Brooklyn before they came looking for us.

Reluctantly pulling my hand free to shuffle through the notes, I licked at my lip wincing at the pain. Stupid dreams.

"S-s-a-f-e N-n-Nico."

Gods it's voice box was still chugging along, skipping entire sentences trying in vain to repeat the message. Part of me just wanted to put it out of its misery and move on. These designs called for a whole system reset, the Egyptians wouldn't be any the wiser.

"P-Percy Nico H-h-h-a-p-p-y ending. Fix."

Honestly it would only take a few minutes for Lou Ellen and I scrub this thing clean, there wouldn't be a trace of magic when we were done. Besides, Brooklyn was getting boring anyways. We could head down the road, get ready for our trip to Odyssey Cove. We should go visit Hazel, I hadn't seen her in ages.

"M-m-m-y name i-i-s-is N…"

A vacation wouldn't be a bad idea. We could just stay on the road for a while, go visit the world. What's the harm in a quick tour of the US? After Camp Half Blood, missions were the only time we ever got to explore anyways.

"My na **M-m-** e IS  _NiC-C-"_

That knowledge made everything better. Even the pain of my lip dulled as I mulled over the potential of our future. It was just a blip on the radar, a side effect of messing with the Egyptians too soon. That's how today's freak show could be explained. And as for the conjuring, it could wait. I'd wait until I had a little more experience.

" _m_ _ **Y**_ _na_ _ **M**_ _e i_ _ **s**_ _Pe_ _ **r**_ _S_ _ **e**_ _u_ _ **S**_ _."_

My hands froze where they were, a slow, simple smile crossing my bloody lips. When I raised my gaze, sea green bulbs spliced with gold glowed brightly, the animatronic delicately scooping my hand back into its claw.

"I know. I've been waiting for you."

* * *

**Well isn't this a conundrum-Nico dating Percy, over his grudge, has details of the future, and so much more that contradicts the present? Spoilers! Literally. Because everybody has been asking about it- Perseus getting in Hazel and Nico's head will be explained shortly! I promise it'll all make sense. Merry Christmas everybody, here's a present don't blow through it too fast! Have a wonderfully amazing morning/day/night, and thank you for all the gifts you've given me! Fingers crossed I'll have another one out for you by next week, love you all and thanks again for helping me keep this story going!**


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